India, Aug. 29 -- The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has made history by officially implementing central contracts with equal pay for both men and women players, making it the first state-level governing body in India to introduce annual retainers that achieve absolute gender pay parity. Following a framework initially announced in April 2026, the MCA Apex Council finalised the player contract system for the 2026-2027 domestic season.

Contract Structure and Financial Grades

A total of 22 cricketers have been selected under this landmark initiative, comprising 14 male and 8 female players. The retainers are structured uniformly across three distinct tiers, ensuring identical financial compensation for both genders:

Grade A: Annual ret...