BD women team gets cash promise

DHAKA: Bangladesh showered its women cricketers with cash rewards Tuesday for their upset triumph over India in the Asia Cup Twenty20 tournament.

The women’s team defeated six-times champions India by three wickets in Sunday’s final in Kuala Lumpur to claim their maiden title.

Bangladesh became the first side ever to beat India in the group phase of the tournament before repeating the feat in the tense final.

The team returned late Monday to a heroes’ welcome. The Bangladesh Cricket Board announced a 20 million taka ($236,000) cash reward for the team and promised to review salaries.

“Each player will get one million taka ($14,800) as a cash reward,” BCB spokesman Jalal Yunus told AFP on Tuesday. About $75,000 will be shared by the coaching and management staff, he added.

The BCB will review the salary and match fees of contracted women players this week, Yunus said.

Currently they earn a maximum 30,000 taka ($445) each month plus $100 as match fee for an international.

On their return the women players were garlanded by a welcoming committee that included government officials and members of the Bangladesh men’s team.

A video of the male cricketers celebrating in the dressing room at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, after bowler Jahanara Alam hit the winning run, went viral on social media.

Jahanara scored two runs off the final ball to take Bangladesh to 113-7 after Bangladesh restricted India to 112-9.