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The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced a significant 60% increase in top salaries for the men’s Hundred in 2025, a strategic move aimed at attracting the world’s best cricketers. The decision marks a pivotal moment in the competition’s evolution during its transitional season, with the promise of further hikes expected as the ECB finalizes its ongoing sales process.
While the top women’s salaries have also seen a rise, the increase is relatively modest at 30%, leaving the gender pay gap in the Hundred a topic of continued debate. The highest-paid male players will earn more than three times their female counterparts, a disparity that remains despite calls for pay parity by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC).
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Boosting Competitiveness Amid Global Challenges
The Hundred, which has successfully drawn global attention since its inception, struggled to attract top-tier men’s players in 2024. Notable withdrawals included Shaheen Shah Afridi, who opted for the Global T20 Canada, and Pat Cummins, who signed with Major League Cricket in the United States.
To address these challenges, the ECB is introducing changes to player retention and recruitment:
- Teams will now be allowed to use one of their 10 retention spots to negotiate directly with overseas players, bypassing the traditional draft.
- Squads can include four overseas players, though only three can feature in a playing XI.
These updates, coupled with salary hikes, align the Hundred’s pay structure with Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL). The top men’s salary of £200,000 is comparable to the A$360,000-420,000 range for platinum BBL players. Similarly, the top women’s salary of £65,000 matches the A$110,000 available in the WBBL.
Statements from the ECB
Rob Hillman, the ECB’s director of major events, highlighted the importance of competitive salaries in a crowded global cricket calendar.
“We want the best players participating in the Hundred to keep entertaining the millions of fans who’ve come through the doors in the four years of the competition. I’m glad we’ve been able to boost our top earners to £200,000 in the men’s competition while reaching £65,000 in the women’s competition, which is four times what we offered in the first year. This is clearly not the end of our journey.”
Hillman emphasized the positive response from potential investors and the ECB’s commitment to making the Hundred a world-class event.
Looking Ahead to 2025
The Hundred is set to run from August 5 to 31, 2025, with the official fixtures expected to be released early next year. With increased salaries, structural changes, and ongoing investor discussions, the Hundred is poised to maintain its appeal to fans while navigating the challenges of global cricket’s evolving landscape.
As the competition grows, all eyes will be on how the ECB balances financial incentives with calls for greater gender pay equity, ensuring the Hundred remains a trailblazer in modern cricket.
