Jhulan Goswami praises ICC for increasing prize money for Women's World Cup

Legendary Indian cricketer Jhulan Goswami has welcomed the ICC's decision to increase the prize money for the 2025 Women's World Cup. The ICC recently announced a total prize pool of 13.88 million USD, nearly three times more than in 2022, and higher than the 2023 Men's ODI World Cup.

Goswami said the move could inspire young cricketers to take up the sport. The tournament, starting on September 30, promises to be a landmark event, with higher prize money motivating players and encouraging more women to play cricket professionally.

"I am getting goosebumps. [The increased prize money] is a very good thing. I would like to thank ICC from my side," Goswami said in the ICC Review.

She added that the move would not only benefit women cricketers but also reassure their parents that the sport can be pursued at the highest levels.

"The way they have thought of this, I think definitely women's cricket will get a lot of boost. And for [budding women cricketers'] parents too, it is a reassurance that this sport can be played professionally and taken forward. So, I think this is great news for women's cricket, and this will definitely motivate all the players as well," she said.

The ICC has structured the prize money to reward all participating teams. The tournament winners will receive 4.48 million USD, more than double the amount awarded to the 2022 champions, while the runners-up will earn 2.24 million USD. Both amounts reflect an increase of more than 200 percent from the previous edition.

Both losing semifinalists will receive 1.12 million USD each, while every group-stage participant is guaranteed 250,000 USD. The fifth and sixth-placed teams will take home 700,000 USD each, and the seventh and eighth-placed sides will earn 280,000 USD each. In addition, each group-stage victory will fetch the winning team 34,414 USD.

"Our message is simple: women cricketers must know they will be treated on par with men if they choose this sport professionally," said ICC Chairman Jay Shah, emphasizing the mindset behind the bold move.

This announcement marks another milestone in the ICC's drive to promote women's cricket and advance pay parity with the men's game, a commitment first highlighted ahead of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024.

The tournament will kick off on September 30 with India facing Sri Lanka in Guwahati. The two semifinals are scheduled for October 29 and 30, with the showpiece final set for November 2.