WPL vs PSL: A Comparative Analysis of Cricket’s Emerging and Established Leagues

Explore the showdown between WPL and PSL—comparing prize money, player salaries, and the financial gap between these top T20 cricket leagues. Who’s winning off the pitch?

Jun 13, 2025 - 10:56 Updated: Jun 13, 2025 - 11:43

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WPL vs PSL: A Comparative Analysis of Cricket’s Emerging and Established Leagues

WPL vs. PSL 2025: A Tale of Two T20 Leagues – Prize Money, Player Earnings, and Financial Disparity

The Women’s Premier League (WPL) and Pakistan Super League (PSL) represent two prominent T20 cricket leagues, each showcasing top talent and thrilling competition. However, a direct comparison reveals stark contrasts in financial scale, prize money, and player earnings, highlighting the economic dominance of Indian cricket and the growing aspirations of Pakistan’s flagship tournament. As both leagues unfold in 2025, we explore how they stack up in terms of rewards and player compensation.

The world of T20 cricket is witnessing a fascinating evolution, with the Women’s Premier League (WPL) rapidly emerging as a financial powerhouse, even outpacing the more established Pakistan Super League (PSL) in several key metrics. Here’s a fact-driven comparison of these two leagues based on recent seasons.

Prize Money: WPL Outpaces PSL

The WPL, now in its third season since its inception in 2023, has established itself as a financial powerhouse in women’s cricket. In 2025, the WPL champions, Mumbai Indians, secured a prize of INR 6 crore (approximately USD 720,000) for their victory over Delhi Capitals, who earned INR 3 crore as runners-up. In contrast, the PSL 2025 winners, Lahore Qalandars, received INR 4.44 crore (USD 500,000), while the runners-up, Quetta Gladiators, took home INR 1.71 crore (USD 200,000).

This disparity is striking. The WPL’s winning prize surpasses the PSL’s by nearly 35%, and even the WPL runners-up earn more than the PSL runners-up by a significant margin. Notably, the total prize money for PSL 2024 (INR 5.78 crore) was less than the WPL 2024 winner’s purse alone, underscoring the financial gap. Even more telling, the WPL’s prize pool for its champions exceeds that of the PSL despite being a newer league with fewer teams (five in WPL vs. six in PSL).

Women’s Premier League (WPL):

2024 Winner: Royal Challengers Bangalore (INR 6 crore)
2024 Runner-up: Delhi Capitals (INR 3 crore)
2025 Winner: Mumbai Indians (INR 6 crore)
2025 Runner-up: Delhi Capitals (INR 3 crore)
Semifinalists: Each received INR 1 crore.

Pakistan Super League (PSL):

2024 Winner: Islamabad United (PKR 14 crore, approx. INR 4.13–4.31 crore)
2024 Runner-up: Multan Sultans (PKR 5.6 crore, approx. INR 1.65–1.72 crore)
Semifinalists: Each received PKR 2.5 crore (INR 0.77 crore).

The WPL, despite being only in its third season, offers higher prize money to both winners and runners-up than the PSL. This is a remarkable achievement for women’s cricket, highlighting the growing commercial appeal and investment in the women’s game in India.

Player Salaries: WPL Stars Earn More Than PSL Counterparts

Player salaries further highlight the economic divide. In the WPL 2025 auction, Mumbai’s Simran Shaikh emerged as the highest-paid player, fetching INR 1.90 crore from Gujarat Giants, followed by Deandra Dottin (INR 1.70 crore) and G Kamalini (INR 1.60 crore). Smriti Mandhana, retained by Royal Challengers Bengaluru, commands a salary of close to USD 500,000 (approximately INR 4.1 crore), making her one of the highest-paid female cricketers globally.

In contrast, PSL 2025’s top earner, David Warner, was signed by Karachi Kings for INR 8.42 crore (USD 300,000), a figure significantly lower than top IPL salaries but competitive within the PSL’s Platinum category (USD 130,000–170,000). Other high earners in PSL, such as Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi, fall within this range, but their salaries pale in comparison to WPL’s top stars. For instance, five WPL players—Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Shafali Verma, and Richa Ghosh—earn more than PSL’s most expensive players, with Mandhana’s salary alone dwarfing Warner’s by over 60%.

Remarkably, the combined salaries of PSL’s top 10 earners do not match the salary of IPL’s costliest player, Rishabh Pant (INR 27 crore), let alone the WPL’s top earners. This gap reflects the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) financial muscle, with the WPL benefiting from a massive $570 million franchise bid revenue and a $110 million broadcast deal, positioning it as the second-most valuable women’s sports league globally, behind only the WNBA.

WPL Top Earners: Players like Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur, Ellyse Perry, and Sophie Devine command salaries that are among the highest in women’s cricket.
Example: Jemimah Rodrigues (Delhi Capitals) was sold for INR 2.2 crore in WPL, which is over USD 268,000.
PSL Top Earners: Even the most expensive PSL players, such as Naseem Shah (Platinum category), earn up to USD 170,000, which is less than the top WPL salaries.

This means that the most expensive WPL players earn more than the most expensive PSL players, a trend that underscores the financial muscle behind women’s cricket in India.

Scale and Reach: WPL’s Global Appeal vs. PSL’s Challenges

The WPL’s financial strength is underpinned by its massive viewership and commercial success. In 2024, the WPL garnered 98 million viewers and 144 million social media interactions, reflecting its growing global appeal. The PSL, while popular in Pakistan with 150 million digital views in 2024, lags behind with a media rights deal worth $36 million compared to the IPL’s $6.2 billion.

The PSL also faced logistical challenges in 2025, with two matches canceled due to a drone strike near Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, prompting discussions about relocating fixtures to Karachi. These disruptions, coupled with the absence of marquee overseas players—who prioritized the IPL due to scheduling conflicts and higher pay—limited the PSL’s ability to compete on a global stage. The England Cricket Board’s restrictions on players participating in leagues other than the IPL further impacted PSL’s talent pool, leaving players like Warner and Daryl Mitchell, who went unsold in the IPL auction, as notable overseas additions.

League Performance and Achievements

WPL Champions:
- 2023: Mumbai Indians (defeated Delhi Capitals)
- 2024: Royal Challengers Bangalore (defeated Delhi Capitals)
- 2025: Mumbai Indians (defeated Delhi Capitals).
PSL Champions: In 2024, Islamabad United won their third title, defeating Multan Sultans.

Summary Table: Prize Money Comparison

Tournament	Winner Prize (2024/25)	Runner-up Prize	Semifinalist Prize
WPL	INR 6 crore	INR 3 crore	INR 1 crore
PSL	INR 4.13–4.31 crore	INR 1.65–1.72 crore	INR 0.77 crore

Key Takeaways

Financial Edge: The WPL, a women’s league, now offers higher prize money than the men’s PSL, highlighting the rapid growth and investment in women’s cricket in India.
Player Salaries: Top WPL players earn more than the most expensive PSL players, reflecting the lucrative opportunities for women cricketers.
League Growth: The WPL is quickly establishing itself as one of the most financially rewarding T20 leagues globally, even challenging established men’s leagues like the PSL.

WPL vs PSL Critical Perspective: Beyond the Numbers

While the WPL’s financial dominance is undeniable, the comparison with PSL is not solely about money. The PSL, established in 2016, plays a vital role in promoting cricket in Pakistan, offering opportunities for local talent like Hasan Nawaz and Maaz Sadaqat to shine alongside international stars. However, its prize money and salaries reflect the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) limited financial resources compared to the BCCI, which benefits from India’s larger market and global cricket influence.

The WPL’s success also highlights the BCCI’s commitment to women’s cricket, with its prize money surpassing that of many men’s T20 leagues globally, including the PSL. However, the PSL’s lower financial scale does not diminish its competitive spirit or cultural significance in Pakistan, where cricket remains a unifying force. The scheduling overlap with the IPL in 2025, driven by the Champions Trophy, further disadvantaged the PSL, as top players gravitated toward the more lucrative Indian league.

Growth and Market Dynamics: Insights from WPL vs PSL Salary Differences

1. Commercial Strength and Investment

WPL’s Rapid Commercialization: The WPL, despite being a newer league focused on women’s cricket, has seen top players command salaries that surpass those of the most expensive PSL players. For example, Smriti Mandhana was retained for close to $400,000 in WPL 2025, while the highest-paid PSL player in 2025, David Warner, earned $300,000.
PSL’s Gradual Growth: PSL has steadily increased its top-tier salaries, with the Platinum category reaching $300,000 in 2025. However, even this new high is less than what top WPL players earn, signaling that WPL’s financial backing and commercial appeal are growing at a faster rate.

2. Attraction of Global Talent

WPL’s Appeal: The WPL’s high salaries and auction system have attracted top international women’s cricketers, making it a magnet for global talent. This is evidenced by the presence of elite overseas players like Ellyse Perry, Sophie Devine, and Ashleigh Gardner, who command significant fees.
PSL’s Challenges: While PSL has also managed to attract big names (like David Warner), it often has to compete with other leagues for global stars. The league’s draft system and lower maximum salaries can limit its ability to consistently attract the most sought-after international players.

3. Market Positioning and League Prestige

WPL’s Market Positioning: The WPL is positioning itself as the world’s premier women’s T20 league, with salaries that rival or exceed those in established men’s leagues outside the IPL. This reflects both strong sponsorship, media rights deals, and the financial muscle of the BCCI.
PSL’s Role: PSL remains a significant regional league in South Asia, but its salary structure and commercial deals are not yet at the level of the IPL or WPL. Its growth is steady, but it faces challenges in competing with Indian leagues for both viewership and talent.

4. Implications for Player Development and Retention

WPL’s Impact on Women’s Cricket: The high salaries in WPL are transformative for women’s cricket, providing financial security and professional opportunities that were previously unavailable. This is likely to accelerate the development of women’s cricket globally.
PSL’s Impact on Local Talent: PSL’s salary increases benefit local Pakistani players, helping to retain and develop domestic talent. However, the gap between what top international and local players earn remains, though it is narrowing.

Summary Table: Salary Comparison

League	Top Player Salary (2025)	Notable Features
WPL	~$400,000 (Smriti Mandhana)	Auction system, attracts top global women’s talent
PSL	$300,000 (David Warner)	Draft system, highest salary in PSL history

Key Insights

WPL’s growth is being fueled by unprecedented commercial investment, leading to higher salaries and greater prestige for women’s cricket.
PSL is evolving and increasing its top salaries, but still lags behind WPL in financial clout and global appeal.
The salary differences highlight how women’s cricket in India is rapidly catching up to and even surpassing the financial rewards available in some men’s leagues, reshaping perceptions of women’s sports globally.

Conclusion

The comparison between WPL and PSL reveals a shifting landscape in cricket. The WPL’s financial rewards and player salaries now surpass those of the PSL, marking a significant milestone for women’s cricket and underlining India’s economic dominance in the sport.

While the PSL has a longer history, the WPL’s financial power and rapid growth make it a formidable competitor. The fact that WPL players earn more than some of PSL’s top stars underscores the changing landscape of cricket economics.

As women’s cricket gains more traction, the WPL could soon rival even the IPL in terms of commercial success, while the PSL continues to be a vital platform for men’s cricket in Pakistan.

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