New Zealand Cricket (NZC) will double the pay of its top female players, though the best-paid woman will still earn less than half as much as her lowest-paid male counterpart.
An agreement between NZC and the New Zealand Cricket Players’ Association will see New Zealand’s top-15 female players offered annual retainers of between $20,000 to $34,000.
With match fees of up to $400 for One-Day Internationals, leading players could earn more than $40,000 per year, not counting prize-money and endorsements.
New Zealand’s contracted male players receive retainers of between $83,000 and $200,000 per year.
Chief executive David White said the increases reflect NZC’s commitment to “inclusivity and diversity.”
New Zealand is currently ranked third among the world’s’ top-10 women’s teams.