Australia’s women cricketers secured a huge pay increase Monday, with the top contracted player on course to earn more than Aus$1 million (Rs 5.57 crore or US$666,000) a year. Payments for professional women will rise 66 per cent under a new five-year deal between Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers’ Association.

They will share in a pool worth Aus$133 million, up from Aus$80 million in the previous agreement, rewarding not only members of Australia’s world champion team but significantly increasing the value of Big Bash League and state contracts.