Australia’s cricket stars set for life-changing paydays at women’s IPL

Ellyse Perry, Alyssa Healy and Australia’s biggest cricket stars could earn more than an entire WBBL team for three weeks’ work in India.

Australia’s female stars are set to strike gold, with excitement brewing over life changing pay days at this year’s inaugural women’s IPL.

News Corp understands discussions for a salary cap in excess of $6 million have been held for the WIPL due to launch in March, which dwarfs the current women’s Big Bash cap of $366,000.

It means Australia’s biggest stars like Ellyse Perry, Alyssa Healy and Meg Lanning could earn more than an entire WBBL team for three weeks’ work in India.

An average WBBL salary is between $30,000-50,000 and international stars could command up to 10 times that, especially if the BCCI opts for an auction process like the men’s IPL.

On the day women’s cricket honoured its greatest pioneer Belinda Clark at the SCG, the current generation is about to cash in on the inspirational path set by those trailblazing women who have navigated the sport to the verge of a seminal moment.

Alyssa Healy, Meg Lanning and Megan Schutt could star in the inaugural WIPL. Picture: Wayne Taylor

In the case of Perry, Healy and Lanning, they have themselves been at the forefront of that mission and deserve to share in the spoils before hanging up the gloves.

“Women’s cricket is at a real tipping point and this might change the tide for good,” Fox Cricket expert and England women’s great Isa Guha said.

Perry on Thursday smashed 147 in Lanning’s return WNCL match in Melbourne and like their male counterparts, could earn staggering money in India to reward their talents and status as marketing juggernauts in the cricket mad country.

Australia’s biggest stars like Lanning, Healy and Perry earn an estimated $300,000-$500,000 a year based on playing contracts and marketing contracts from Cricket Australia, but the prospect that could be doubled by the advent of the WIPL presents a major turning point for the women’s game.

Especially if opportunities open up for lesser ranked women’s stars who more often than not earn less than $100,000 playing the game in Australia.

It’s understood there will be five WIPL teams Rajasthan Royals, Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Punjab Kings and each team will have a limit of five international players each.

Cricket legend Belinda Clark alongside the Belinda Clark statue outside the SCG. Picture: NCA Newswire/ Gaye Gerard

Australian stars should make up a fair portion of the 25 internationals across the competition, with the likes of Tahlia McGrath, Megan Schutt and Beth Mooney all likely to be prized targets for WIPL teams.

The BCCI has this week asked “reputed entities” to bid for WIPL teams, while broadcast and media giants have also been asked to tender bids for the media rights.

Perry said after her brilliant century for Victoria on Thursday that she hadn’t heard any direct information about the IPL but that it would be a “game changer” for the sport.

“It’s obviously on everyone’s radar in global cricket because it’s the next really big step for the game but I don’t have new information,” Perry said.

“I think there’s certainly been a significant step forward in India. The Indian team is really quite prominent now in their landscape; they have some world class players and household names.

“The sport’s growing huge. . So yeah, it’s great to know now that there’s sort of like another step there. And I think the IPL will be a bit of a game changer for the women’s game.”

Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley praised Clark as a hugely influential figure in where the women’s game is today.

“I am absolutely thrilled that Belinda Clark has been honoured with a sculpture in the SCG precinct and becomes the first female cricketer to receive this recognition,” Hockley said.

“Belinda not only compiled a superb playing record for Australia as a batter and captain; she helped inspire the current generation of cricketers and, as an administrator, has had a profound impact on community cricket and the growth in participation.”