ICC World Twenty20: Women fly in economy class, business class for men

A few national cricket boards have expressed concern over the ICC’s decision to fly the womens’ teams in economy class, whereas the men travelled to India in business class.

The ICC’s ‘double standard’ for men and women teams did not go well with Cricket Australia and they bore the difference between economy and business class fares for Meg Lanning and her girls.

The England and Wales Cricket Board and New Zealand Cricket, like others, however, could not afford this for their women players.

Former India captain Diana Edulji believes that the ICC should give the same treatment to both sexes when they are competing in the same tournament.

“It is very wrong to treat women players in this fashion. This has been an old practice but the times have changed now.

As manager of the Indian women’s team in 2009 for the T20 tour, I had brought it to the notice of the Indian cricket board but nothing could be done.

“We were not travelling in a direct flight to England and had to wait eight hours at Dubai. As we were not travelling in business class, we could not use the lounge,” she added.

“Cutting costs may be the motive of the ICC but this is not the fair way of treating women players,” she said.

The ICC, however, is likely to change this policy for the next big event, and if this happens, all women teams in 2020 would travel to Australia in business class.