OPINION | Breaking New Ground: Women’s cricket’s $13.88 million leap forward

Women's cricket is entering a new era of commercial viability.

When the 2025 ICC Women’s ODI World Cup kicks off in India and Sri Lanka today, the storylines will extend far beyond scoreboards. Yes, the cricketing spectacle promises to be fierce with Australia defending its crown and India hungry for a breakthrough. But this World Cup also represents something much bigger. It is a financial and cultural inflection point for women’s cricket.

From record prize money to skyrocketing viewership and the rise of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), the sport is entering a new era of commercial viability. And in many ways, this World Cup will serve as a barometer of just how far the women’s game has come and how much further it can go.

A near 400% jump in prize money

Perhaps the clearest indicator of change lies in the numbers. The ICC has set aside  $13.88 million as the total prize pool for this World Cup, with the winners set to pocket $4.48 million. Runners-up will take home $2.24 million, while semi-finalists will receive $1.12 million each. Even group-stage teams are assured of $250,000.

The jump is staggering, nearly 400% higher than the $3.5 million purse from the 2022 edition. Even more telling, the winners’ share of $4.48 million is larger than what the champions of the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup received.

This is not just symbolism. It signals a structural revaluation of women’s cricket. The ICC, broadcasters, and sponsors are effectively declaring that the women’s game is no longer a side-show, it can and will be monetized at scale.

WPL, the domestic accelerant

If the World Cup prize pool represents the global stage, the Women’s Premier League (WPL) has been the domestic accelerant. Launched in 2023, the WPL has rapidly grown into one of cricket’s most valuable properties. Franchises were collectively valued at Rs 4,669 crore at inception.

Player salaries are breaking new ground too. Smriti Mandhana became the league’s highest-paid player when she was bought for Rs 3.4 crore, more than what many male cricketers earned in the early seasons of the IPL.

The WPL has fundamentally altered the financial landscape for women cricketers. For many, cricket is no longer just a passion but a sustainable career. For the first time, India’s women stars are household names not only because of their talent but also because of their market value.

This commercial foundation ensures continuity. Young girls watching Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur, or Harleen Deol are not just seeing role models on the field, they are seeing a viable livelihood in cricket.

From niche to mainstream

The appetite for women’s cricket is not a niche fad, it is mass entertainment. The opening match of the inaugural WPL drew nearly 30 million viewers, rivalling numbers from men’s bilateral series. Broadcasters report steady year-on-year increases in ad revenue during women’s matches, with FMCG, fintech, and consumer tech firms aggressively buying spots.

Digital platforms have multiplied monetization avenues. Short highlight clips, behind-the-scenes content, and player-driven reels are generating sponsorship value that was unimaginable just a few years ago. Fantasy sports and betting platforms, too, embraced women’s cricket, integrating matches into contests and affiliate models. For rights-holders and investors, this validates women’s cricket as a legitimate revenue vertical, not just a CSR-driven investment.

Marketing is based on performance

Of course, the economic storylines would ring hollow without competitive cricket to back them up. Fortunately, India’s women’s team enters the World Cup with momentum. Their recent series against Australia, the undisputed powerhouse of women’s cricket, offered both lessons and belief. India nearly chased down a record total in the final ODI and clinched a stunning victory in the second match, their largest-ever margin against Australia.

At the heart of this resurgence is Smriti Mandhana. She recently broke the record for the fastest ODI century by any Indian, male or female, reaching the milestone in just 50 balls, eclipsing Virat Kohli’s 52-ball effort. The innings was not only a statistical feat but also a symbolic one. It showed that India’s women cricketers are not only matching men’s records but surpassing them.

Mandhana’s influence extends off the pitch too. As the face of the WPL and the most marketable player in women’s cricket, she represents the perfect convergence of sport and commerce. Alongside her, Captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s leadership and Renuka Singh’s consistency with the ball ensure India will not be pushovers.

For sponsors and broadcasters, this competitive edge matters. The stronger India’s team, the larger the audience base and the greater the commercial upside.

Knock-on effect on the T20 World Cup

While the ODI World Cup may be the immediate focus, its commercial impact will ripple into the next global event: the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. If the ODI edition demonstrates strong attendance and financial returns, the T20 tournament could see an even bigger leap in broadcast deals, sponsorship commitments, and grassroots investment.

The T20 format is the most television-friendly version of cricket, and with women’s cricket already thriving in shorter formats, the growth potential is exponential. But sustaining this momentum will require careful planning. Grassroots investment to expand the talent pool, as seen in men’s cricket, is essential. So is balancing commercial interests with player welfare in an increasingly crowded calendar. Another challenge will be avoiding over-dependence on a few marquee players for marketability.

Still, the trajectory is unmistakable. Women’s cricket is no longer an afterthought; it is the next frontier. This 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup is more than a sporting contest. It’s a business case study in how visibility, investment, and performance can transform a game.

For India, the convergence of home advantage, recent strong performances, and a booming domestic league creates a unique opportunity. A deep run in this World Cup could solidify its commercial ecosystem and inspire a generation of athletes.