April 13 (Reuters) - This year's Women's Twenty20 World Cup will have a tournament-record prize pool of $8.8 million with the winners set to earn $2.3 million, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Monday.
The 12-team competition will be held in England and Wales from June 12, with New Zealand set to defend the maiden title they won in 2024.
"The runners-up will receive $1.17 million. Both losing semi-finalists will earn $675,000 each," the ICC said in a statement, adding that every participating team was guaranteed a minimum prize of $248,000.
The prize pool will be smaller than those at the men's and women's World Cups held in the Indian subcontinent in the last three years.
Last year's 50-over Women's World Cup in India and Sri Lanka had a prize pool of $13.9 million, the highest pot at an ICC event, and a 297% increase from its previous edition in 2022. Champions India took home $4.5 million.
The 2023 edition of the men's 50-over World Cup, held in India, had a prize pot of $10 million, while this year's men's T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka offered $11.25 million in prize money.
"The continued rise of women’s cricket through increased investment and opportunity reflects the growing influence and impact of female athletes on the global stage," the ICC's CEO Sanjog Gupta said.
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)
