Jay Shah, Honorary Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced an increase in the match fees of the domestic cricketers starting from the season of 2021-22. He also went on to announce the compensation for the Covid-19 marred 2020-21 domestic season which was long overdue and a long term demand of state boards and players for their financial assistance.
According to a Twitter post by Shah, the players who participated in the 2019-20 domestic season will get a 50 per cent additional match fee as compensation for season 2020-21 lost due to the Covid-19 situation. The decision was taken in the BCCI Apex council meet held on Monday, September 20.
According to the increase in the match fees, the domestic senior players, who have played more than 40 matches will be getting Rupees 60,000 per day for a First-Class game, which would mean that they in total would earn Rupees 1.8 lakhs per completed First-Class match.
This increase in match fees is a huge increment considering that their previous pay was Rupees 35,000 per day for a First-Class game. Although it hasn’t yet been clarified as to what will the players, who have played less than 40 First Class games would be getting.
As for the Under-23 players, they will be getting Rupees 25,000 per day for a First-Class game and the Under-19 players will be getting Rs 20,000 per day.
The domestic season of India kicks off in full swing with the Senior Indian Women’s ODI league from September 21. A photo shared by the Times of India on Twitter claims that the match fees of domestic women players have also been increased by BCCI.
The Senior women players, from receiving 12,500 per match (there is no case of per day, as women cricketers don't have a permanent first-class set up), would now be receiving Rupees 20,000 per match. As far as the U-23 and U-19 women players are concerned, their match fees has been increased to Rupees 10,000 per day from Rupees 5500.