The Indian women’s cricket team made history with their impressive performance in this World Cup. Following this, the BCCI decided to honor this achievement with substantial prize money. The prize money is Rs 51 crore, to be divided among the players, support staff, and the selection committee. But there was some confusion over who would receive the rewards, especially regarding the selection committees.
Selection Committee changes and controversy
Old Committee
The squad for the World Cup was selected on 4 September 2025. The selection was made by the previous committee, chaired by Neetu David. Other members of the committee were Renu Margrate, Arati Vaidya Kalpana Venkatachar, and Shyam Dey.
New Committee
Later, a new women’s selection committee was appointed at the AGM on 28 September 2025, headed by Amita Sharma. Other members were Sulakhana Nalk, Jaya Sharma, and Sravanthi Naidu. In this, Shyama Dey Shaw was retained from the old committee.
Point of Contention
The choice is that after the announcement of the prize money being awarded to the selection committee, it was unclear which committee would receive a share—the old one or the new one. Some reports suggested that the new committee would not be included in the prize. The BCCI confirmed that the old committee will get a share of the reward, as they had selected the team for the World Cup.
The BCCI official Statement
The BCCI said, “To honour this unprecedented success, a cash award of Rs 51 crore has been announced for the players, support staff, and selection committee in recognition of their outstanding performance, dedication, and contribution to the sporting glory of the nation.”
Furthermore, the BCCI has also praised the work done by Jay Shah (former Secretary General, now ICC President) in women’s cricket, such as pay parity, the launch of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), and improved domestic structure.
Benefits of the reward—why the selection committee?
The selection committee received a share of the reward primarily because they selected the World Cup squad. Selectors play a vital role in team building by identifying players, balancing the team, and devising potential strategies.
The previous committee selected the team on 4 September, and the team proved its selection by winning the World Cup. Therefore, the BCCI decided to include this committee in the reward.
However, it is worth noting that the selectors did not participate on the field during the matches. And they were not present in the final or semi-final. But the role of team selection was considered crucial.
What is the importance of the prize money INR 51 Crore
The amount is consequently a huge honor for the winning team and its team. And it shows that women’s cricket is now receiving the same importance as men’s cricket.
Rewarding all stakeholders, including the selection committee, is a sign that the role of team building, selection process, and support system is also being appreciated.
This will strengthen women’s cricket economically and socially and will also inspire future players, coaches, and selectors.
Challenges and Questions
While the decision can be considered positive, some questions and topics of discussion remain:
- This division of the prize money (who will get how much) has not been made public yet.
- What does it mean to not include the new committee in this award? Discussions will focus on the role the new selectors will play in future team selection.
- Transparency of selection process and responsibilities—the team management replaced injured Pratika Rawal with Shafali Verma before the semi-finals, without the direct involvement of the selection committee.
- Does this decision constitute a non-normative process? That is, how was the chooser-reward relationship determined? And this could become a guideline in the future.
Conclusion
Thus, the BCCI’s decision to include the selection committee in the INR 51 crore reward indicates that all three units—team, support, and selectors—are being given equal importance. The old selection committee, led by Neetu David, has been deemed worthy of a share of this reward.
This decision is a positive step towards advancing women’s cricket, respecting selection processes, and motivating stakeholders. Such transparency and improved guidelines will further strengthen this initiative in the future.
