Women’s cricket poised to match the hype

Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) have been around for about two decades, and it's fair to say they've become the fan favourite among the three formats, drawing larger crowds worldwide compared to One-Day Internationals and Tests.

Now, when talking about T20Is, the natural inclination of cricket fans would be to think about the men's game, which dwarfs the women's game in terms of popularity and media visibility.

It thus may come as a surprise that the highest-ever attendance for a T20I came in a women's match: the final of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2020 between Australia and India at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

A record 86,174 people turned up at the MCG for that final, where they saw the hosts thump India by 85 runs to bring home their fifth trophy.

Granted, several factors contributed to that massive turnout. The home team, Australia, were in the final, facing India, who had reached that stage for the first time. The match took place in a colosseum like the MCG, turning that final into a perfect storm and setting the stage for a grand spectacle.

Still, so many people turning up to watch two women's cricket teams fight it out for the title must have felt like vindication for the International Cricket Council (ICC), who had raised the winners' and runners-up's purse that year to $1 million and $500,000 respectively, five times the amount offered in the previous edition.

The bigger investment from the ICC seemingly increased people's interest. In the following edition in 2023, held in South Africa, the audience once again tuned in in large numbers, with the number of global viewing hours reaching 192 million -- 44 per cent higher than the previous tournament.

The ninth edition of the 10-team event is set to raise its curtains on October 3 in Sharjah, and this time the ICC has opened up its coffers even more and taken a bold step in their endeavour to ensure pay parity in men's and women's cricket.

The ICC has more than doubled the total prize pool for the 2024 edition, increasing it to $7,958,080. The champions will bag a staggering $2.34 million, while the runners-up will get $1.17 million, marking a 134 per cent increase in each. For comparison, India bagged $2.45 million for winning this year's men's T20 World Cup, and runners-up South Africa won $1.28 million.

The two teams that get knocked out in the semi-finals of the 10-team event will receive $675,000 each, more than three times their 2023 payout. Even the ones who get knocked out in the group stage will not return empty-handed, as a base prize of $112,500 will be awarded to all 10 participating teams.

This huge mark-up in cash rewards has already turned the ninth edition of the tournament into a landmark event in women's sports in general, as for the first time in any major team sport, a women's tournament is virtually handing out the same prize money as the men's.

Bangladesh were set to be the country where this historic event took place, but due to unforeseen circumstances, the tournament had to be shifted to the UAE.

When it comes to the cricketing standpoint, the women's game has been on an incline for years.

In the inaugural edition in 2009, when England emerged victorious, runners-up New Zealand's coach Gary Stead admitted that his team looked amateurish compared to the English side. Fast forward to now, several teams are playing exciting T20 cricket, piquing the interest of fans worldwide.

Defending champions and record six-time winners Australia, led by the explosive wicketkeeper-batter Alyssa Healy, will begin the tournament as the favourites. But inaugural champions England, former champions West Indies, a strong India, and last year's runners-up South Africa will pose a strong challenge.

South Asian teams like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan might spring a surprise or two, aided by the typically spin-friendly pitches in the UAE, while newcomers Scotland will be eager to make a mark.

But more than anything, this tournament needs to continue showcasing top-quality cricket and attracting more viewers. If it does, it will not only justify the pay and prize hike but also set an example for other major sports to follow in the ICC's footsteps.