Cricket West Indies and West Indies Players’ Association have solidified their commitment to equity in payment in West Indies cricket after signing a "historic" MoU, CWI confirmed. As per the media release, CWI and WIPA signed a four-year Memorandum of Understanding, which "outlines plans to achieve parity in international and regional match fees, international captain’s allowances, international team prize money and regional individual prize money for all West Indies cricketers by 1 October 2027."
The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced last year in July for equality in the prize money of ICC tournaments of men's and women's cricket. Several cricket boards - Board of Control for Cricket in India, Cricket Australia, New Zealand Cricket and South Africa Cricket - have already taken steps for pay equity and Windies Board is the latest one to commit to the same.
"This is a historic day for West Indies cricket. As we overhaul the compensation structures and align performance grading, we are taking a significant step towards creating a more inclusive and progressive cricket framework. This step reflects our unwavering commitment to gender equality and acknowledges the immense contributions of female players to West Indies cricket," Dr. Kishore Shallow, President of Cricket West Indies said.
The MoU is for a period of four years from 1 October 2023 to 30 September 2027 and deals with all agreements in respect of player remuneration and updated terms and conditions across the West Indies system.
Some important provisions agreed upon in the new MOU are:
- Significantly increased team prize money throughout the system and new individual player rewards;
- Full match fees for players in the starting XI and 80% for reserves (effective 1 October 2024);
- All retainers on hold once a NOC is issued for an overseas domestic franchise tournament (effective 1 October 2024);
- The potential for CWI and Franchises to award multi-year retainer contracts (up to 3-years);
- Increased international and regional match fees and ICC Tournament fees for all women’s cricketers, to achieve parity by 1 October 2027;
- Increases for international and regional men’s match fees (effective 1 October 2023);
- Align international women’s contracts and regional men’s contracts with the performance grading that has been established for the international men; and
- Provision of a hospitality box and ground transportation for players’ families at all international home series matches.
