The Hundred Faces Backlash Over Unequal Pay and Homegrown Talent Concerns

Players and the Professional Cricketers’ Association criticize the ECB for prioritizing overseas stars and widening the gender pay gap in the Hundred tournament.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has increased top salaries in the Hundred, with men’s contracts rising by 60% to £200,000 and women’s by 30% to £65,000, further widening the gender pay gap.
The Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) and players have expressed dissatisfaction, citing a lack of consultation and the disproportionate benefit to top-tier male and overseas players.
Regulations limiting players’ participation in overseas franchise leagues have prompted some players to consider boycotting the tournament, calling the restrictions a restraint of trade.
The ECB is seeking to attract top international talent to compete with rival leagues and boost the tournament’s appeal, as it transitions ownership stakes to new investors.
The sale of equity in the Hundred’s eight teams is ongoing, with IPL franchises and other investors bidding, though the ECB insists it will avoid an IPL-dominated ownership structure.