They are both women’s teams, representing the same country and both world champs, yet the difference in their monetary benefits is alarmingly unbelievable.
The Deepika TC-led Indian blind team that won the inaugural Women’s T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka on Sunday, received Rs 3000 as match fees for every international game. On the other hand, Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian women’s team, who won the Women’s ODI World Cup on November 2, receives Rs 3 lakh for every T20 international, Rs 6 lakh for an ODI and Rs 15 lakh for a Test match. Also, while the ICC prize money for Harmanpreet & Co was R40 crore and additionally the BCCI awarded them Rs 51 crore, India’s blind team winners received Rs 5 lakh from the tournament’s organisers while the BCCI are yet to announce any reward. Some sponsors have assured Rs 1.25 lakh to each member of India’s blind T20 World Cup-winning team, who beat Nepal by seven wickets in the final at Colombo on Sunday.

CABI (Cricket Association for the Blind in India) chairman GK Mahantesh revealed the struggles behind getting a sponsor in the build-up to the T20 World Cup. 
“Getting sponsors has always been tough. Two weeks before the start of the tournament, we had no financial support. However, later, we just about managed to do it thanks to some friends and well-wishers who brought Samarthanam Trust and State Bank of India on board to help us,” Mahantesh tells mid-day over the phone from Bengaluru on Monday. “The budget for the World Cup was close to R6 crores, because we were hosting it in Delhi, Bangalore and Colombo. The Government of Karnataka assured Rs 1 crore while we are still waiting to hear from the central government,” added Mahantesh.