How India’s Women Just Redefined the Business of Women’s Cricket
ISSUE No 14
They didn’t just lift a trophy, they lifted an entire industry.
One year ago, Australia were the standard-bearers of women’s cricket, the blueprint of professionalism, equal pay progress, and world domination.
Today, the story’s flipped. India’s women didn’t just win the World Cup at home they won the market. Endorsements are soaring, agents are fielding million-dollar calls, and brands that once chased Virat are now calling Harmanpreet.
The business of women’s cricket just levelled up.
For nearly two decades, Australia were the gold standard of women’s cricket. Seven ODI World Cups, six T20 World Cups, and a stranglehold that shaped the sport. In the last two global events, however, the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 ODI World Cup — they didn’t even reach the final. That’s not a dip; that’s evolution.
The game is catching up.
And nowhere is that more evident than in India, where one win has unlocked an entire commercial ecosystem.
According to CricExec and NDTV Sports, India’s World Cup triumph has sparked an unprecedented endorsement rush. Top players like Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, and Jemimah Rodrigues have seen their brand values surge by 25% to 100%, commanding between ₹75 lakh and ₹1.5 crore per campaign.
For perspective, these numbers put them in the same bracket as elite WNBA or WSL players — and they’re climbing fast.
What’s fascinating is how India’s trajectory differs from Australia’s. The Australians built their growth structurally with steady investment, professional contracts, league infrastructure, and broadcast visibility. India’s leap has been emotional, cultural, and viral.
Winning at home created national icons overnight.
The momentum effect kicked in: more visibility → more sponsorship → more youth engagement → more broadcast value.
It’s also a lesson in timing. Just as the Women’s Premier League (WPL) gained commercial traction, the World Cup victory added narrative fuel. For brands, this wasn’t a charity play it was a business decision. Engagement metrics are surging. Social followings are growing. For once, women’s cricket isn’t being “supported”; it’s being sold.
Australia still lead in systemisation, but India have captured the zeitgeist.
Cricket’s most populous nation has finally found its women’s moment, not as an appendage to the men’s game, but as a standalone commercial force. The endorsement surge is just the beginning; broadcast deals, fashion tie-ins, and athlete-led ventures will follow.
And that’s the real headline here — women’s cricket has evolved into a viable standalone market.
Australia professionalised it.
India will monetise it.
Community Question of the Week
India’s win has shifted the financial gravity of the women’s game. Should cricket boards focus more on player salaries — or on building brand power through commercial partnerships?
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