Former cricketer Jhulan Goswami has praised the ICC’s landmark decision to offer a staggering US$13.88 million as Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 prize money.

She believes this will motivate both players and their parents to pursue cricket at a professional level. The prize pool is nearly three times more than in 2022 and higher than the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup.

Jhulan Goswami said the move could inspire women’s cricket to take up the sport. The tournament is set to begin on September 30 and promises to be a landmark event, with higher prize money motivating players and encouraging more women to play cricket professionally.

“I am getting goosebumps. (The increased prize money) is a very good thing. I would like to thank ICC from my side,” Jhulan Goswami said in the ICC Review.

She added that the move would not only benefit women cricketers but also reassured their parents that the sport can be pursued at the highest levels.

“The way they have thought of this, I think definitely women’s cricket will get a lot of boost. And for (budding women cricketers’) parents too, it is a reassurance that this sport can be played professionally and taken forward.”

“So, I think this is great news for women’s cricket, and this will definitely motivate all the players as well,” Jhulan Goswami said.

The ICC has structured the prize money to reward all participating teams. The Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 winners will receive US$ 4.48 million, more than double the amount awarded to the 2022 champions, while the runners-up will earn 2.24 million USD.

Both amounts reflects an increase of more than 200 percent from the previous edition. Both losing semifinalists will receive US$ 1.12 million USD each, while every group stage participant is guaranteed 250,000 USD.

The fifth and sixth placed teams will get USD 700,000 each while the seventh and eighth will earn 280,000 USD each. In addition, each group stage victory will fetche the winning team USD 34,414 USD.

“Our message is simple: women cricketers must know they will be treated on par with men if they choose this sport professionally,” said ICC Chairman Jay Shah.

The announcement marks another milestone in the ICC’s drive to promote women’s cricket and advance pay parity with the men’s game, a commitment first highlighted ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024.

The tournament will kick off on September 30 with India facing Sri Lanka in Barsapara StadiumGuwahati. The two semifinals are scheduled for October 29 and 30, with the Summit clash to be played on November 2.