Former England cricketer and commentator Isa Guha believes that the Indian women's cricket team will do as good as their celebrated male counterparts if an “equal amount of thought” goes into it. She also stressed the need to have a strong player's association for women’s cricket for their welfare.

The presenter called for a players’ association for India Women after the British newspaper The Telegraph reported that the Indian cricket board (BCCI) hasn’t yet paid prize money for finishing runners-up in the 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup in Australia last March.

She also said the pay disparities still existed between men's and women's cricket across the world and admitted there is still a long road ahead for the women cricketers to receive equal treatment as men’s while highlighting the areas that need to be looked into by the game's stakeholders to “reach equity”.

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Isa wrote on Twitter: “Women are made to feel grateful for progress but there is still so much to be done to reach equity (& that isn't just equal pay). Players' associations are a vital part of reaching this. India women will dominate the world stage when as much thought goes into their game as the men.”

She added, “While the men are at a different level there are still base level equities in player welfare. Things like payment/contract times, well-being support networks, domestic structure prof support, maternity provisions, retirement planning are all things can be gained from having a pa (player's association).”

Meanwhile, a senior BCCI official has reportedly revealed that the Indian women cricketers, who made the finals of the Women's World T20 2020, will receive their share from the USD 500,000 prize money by the end of this week. Australia had defeated India in the final by 85 runs to lift the trophy at MCG.

The official told ANI, “The process had already been on and the funds should be transferred in the coming week. Yes, there was a slight delay and the Covid-19 situation further delayed the process, but there shouldn't be any further delays.”

(With ANI/PTI Inputs)