Record prize money on offer at Women’s T20 World Cup

he ICC have announced the prize money for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup set to take place next month in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

With just about two weeks to go before Bangladesh face Scotland in the opening match, the world governing body revealed that it had lifted the total prize pool for the 2024 edition to an impressive USD $7,958,080 — more than double that of the 2023 edition.

This significant boost ensures that the winners of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 will walk away with a staggering $2.34 million, marking a 134% increase from the $1 million awarded to the champions, Australia, in 2023.

West Indies, led by Barbados allrounder Hayley Matthews, will be keen to repeat their 2016 title triumph. With devastating batter Deandra Dottin back in the fold alongside Matthews and former captain Stafanie Taylor, the regional team will be chomping at the bit ahead of their first game, October 4 against South Africa.

The runners-up will also benefit from a 134% rise, securing $1.17 million in the upcoming edition. Semifinalists will receive $675,000 each, more than three times their 2023 payout.

The prize money extends beyond the knockout stages, as each group stage win will now be rewarded with $31,154, reflecting a 78% increase from last year’s $17,500.

Furthermore, teams that exit during the group stage won’t leave empty-handed. There is a base prize of $112,500 awarded to all 10 participating teams, totalling $1.125 million. This ensures that every team receives substantial support for their participation, no matter where they finish.

Teams finishing fifth to eighth will earn $270,000 each, and teams finishing ninth and 10th earn $135,000 each. These changes underscore the ICC’s commitment to growing and recognising women’s cricket, ensuring that all teams and players are well-supported.

This historic prize rewards not only aligns with the ICC’s vision for parity between the men’s and women’s games but also further elevates the status of the Women’s T20 World Cup as one of the premier events in the calendar.

The marquee event is set to go underway on October 3. Meanwhile, the match schedule for the double-header on Saturday, October 5, in Sharjah sees a minor change — Australia will now play against Sri Lanka in the afternoon at 2:00, followed by the Bangladesh versus England match in the evening at 6:00 local time.

The stage is set for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 to be a landmark moment, as the world’s best teams battle it out for the prestigious title and record-breaking rewards.

The highly-anticipated ninth edition of the tournament will take place across the two venues in the UAE – Dubai and Sharjah – from October 3-20.

All group matches will be completed prior to October 15, before all eyes shift to the semi-finals scheduled for October 17-18. The victors of semifinal one and two will then face off in the ultimate showdown for the Women’s T20 World Cup trophy on October 20. (PR)