International
How Harmanpreet Kaur acknowledged Jay Shah's contribution to women's cricket
While Shah is currently serving as ICC president, it was under him as secretary of BCCI from 2019 to 2024 that the Board embraced the idea of pay parity and enhanced professional leagues for women cricketers and investment at grassroots
TDJ News Service
05 Nov, 2025
New Delhi: Even as the nation is basking in the glory of Women’s World Cup win and hoping that this has a ripple effect on women's cricket like the 1983 World Cup win had on men’s cricket helping it grow, one must not forget the contribution of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) which under Jay Shah as secretary took it to a different level.
At the time of receiving the trophy, India captain Harmanpreet Kaur went down to touch the feet of Shah, who was handing over the prize as ICC Chairman. It showed how much the Indian women’s team values Shah’s contribution.
While Shah is currently serving as ICC president, it was under him as secretary of BCCI from 2019 to 2024 that the Board embraced the idea of pay parity and enhanced professional leagues for women cricketers and investment at grassroots as well as civil visibility, which has now empowered Indian women cricketers who can now hope to inspire millions of girls in the country to take up cricket.
One of the most groundbreaking moves during his tenure was equality of pay between male and female cricketers, a decision which in the long run communicated an important point about respect for both the genders.
This was followed by the launch of professional women’s cricket league WPL, something which not just Indian cricketers, but women cricketers from across the world had long been requesting.
WPL’s international exposure and reach is now providing Indian women cricketers a platform which is not only giving them wider audience but also a financial stability and a competitive platform where they can hone their skills with players from across the planet.
Further, BCCI’s grassroots investment has surged, with even grassroot players now getting increased backing that help in identification and building of women cricketers from across the country. These efforts have not only expanded the pool but also inspired little girls to dream big.
Tags : BCCI, Harmanpreet Kaur, Jay Shah, Women's World Cup, WPL
