India's men and women to be paid equal match fees for international cricket

India won their seventh Asia Cup title by beating Sri Lanka in Sylhet in October

Players in India's men's and women's international sides will receive equal match fees, the country's Board of Control for Cricket has said.

Jay Shah, honorary secretary for the BCCI, said contracted cricketers would receive the same pay in a "new era of gender equality" in cricket.

The move follows a five-year deal agreed by New Zealand Cricket in July.

While match fees will be standardised, the amount paid as retainers or central contracts will still vary.

Responding to Shah's social media post, Cheteshwar Pujara, a batter in the men's Test side, called the decision "a great step from the BCCI", adding that it was "setting an example for the world to follow".

Shah said the deal would see men and women earn around £15,717 (15 lakhs) for Tests, £6,287 (6 lakhs) for one-day international games and £3,143 (3 lakhs) for T20 fixtures.