The Hundred Pay Equity Debate: PCA Chief Optimistic About Future Gender Pay Parity in Cricket

The Current Pay Landscape in The Hundred

The Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA) CEO Daryl Mitchell has expressed optimism about achieving pay parity between male and female cricketers in The Hundred, despite recent revelations about growing pay disparities. The top bracket for male players now earns £200,000 (up from £125,000), while their female counterparts receive £65,000 - creating a £135,000 gap that has drawn criticism from players including former England captain Heather Knight.

Commercial Realities and Future Projections

Mitchell acknowledges the commercial challenges: "There's work needed on the commercialization of women's sport. It's arguably the biggest growth area across all sports globally." He envisions a future where "women's cricket achieves equal viewership and broadcast valuation comparable to men's cricket within the next decade."

Key developments influencing this outlook include:

• The £520m sale of stakes in Hundred franchises to private investors
• Potential for increased overseas player participation
• ECB's ambition to make The Hundred the world's second-largest franchise tournament after IPL

Tournament Evolution and Player Welfare

Recent franchise sales are expected to bring significant changes:

• Salary structures likely to increase further to compete with global franchises
• Potential scheduling reforms to reduce player workload
• Discussions about NOC (No Objection Certificate) regulations for English players

Domestic Schedule Reforms on the Horizon

With the 2025 season approaching, significant attention focuses on:

• Reducing congestion in the T20 Blast schedule
• Eliminating back-to-back matches that strain player recovery
• Potential reduction from 14 to 12 matches in County Championship and Blast
• Optimizing match scheduling for commercial success (preferring Thursday/Friday night slots)

Mitchell notes: "We need to create calendar space while balancing player welfare and commercial realities. The 2022 high-performance review proposals may have gone too far, but moderate reductions could solve scheduling pressures."

The Path Forward

The combination of private investment and collective bargaining positions The Hundred at a crossroads. As Mitchell summarizes: "Equal pay is both a realistic ambition and a moral imperative. Achieving it requires sustained commercial growth in women's cricket alongside structural reforms benefiting all players."