CoA prepones cash award announcement to boost women cricketers ahead of big final

NEW DELHI: Hours before the Indian cricket board announced cash prize worth Rs 50 lakh for each member of the women's team on Saturday for their performance in the ICC Women's World Cup 2017, there were suggestions from BCCI's old guards to declare the cash benefits after the final match against England at the Lord's on Sunday.
Sources said the committee of administrators (CoA) shot down the proposal of announcing the cash award after title clash by saying that reaching the World Cup final itself is no mean achievement and there can't be any delay in acknowledging their feat.The support staff of the team will also receive Rs 25 lakh each.
"Whether the Indian team wins or loses, reaching the final itself is a huge achievement and it is just a gesture from BCCI and nothing else," a top BCCI functionary told TOI while confirming that CoA indeed played a role in awarding the women cricketers for their extraordinary achievement.
Later, BCCI's old guard too agreed with CoA before releasing a joint statement and heaved praises on the women cricketers. India's vice-captain Harmanpreet Kaur's blistering unbeaten 171 against Australia in the semifinal of the World Cup on Thursday has now raised the hope of the team and this cash award is perhaps just the beginning!