ICC urges higher pay for women

New Delhi: A top ICC official has urged cricket bodies around the world to follow Australia’s lead and dramatically raise wages for women’s players to stop them dropping out of the sport. Clare Connor, the former England captain who now heads the International Cricket Council’s women’s committee, told AFP that other countries must match Australia’s eight-fold increase in wages. “We are all going to think very seriously of how well our players are remunerated,” she said in a phone interview. “Because if we don’t look after them they will go and choose other sports or other professions and that will be a tragedy.” The women’s World Cup this year won by England was hailed as a breakthrough for the women’s game, with full stadiums and high TV ratings around the globe. But many top players have said there has to be followup from the cricket hierarchy to acknowledge what is a growth area for the sport. Connor said higher pay was a key area for women’s cricket as it moves mainstream and generates increasing commercial opportunities.