Just a few years ago, Indian women cricketers were performing beautifully and diligently on the field, but the trophy kept eluding them. But now their commercial fortunes are just as successful as the on-field ones. The historic win has been instrumental in the skyrocketing of the brand value of the top women players of India, which has led the gates wide open for a large number of high-value endorsement deals in different industries.
Top sports management companies state that the market value of the leading players, such as Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, and Jemimah Rodrigues, will increase by more than 50 per cent, thus their yearly endorsement income will exceed the ₹1 crore level. The players are receiving proposals from various sectors, such as automobiles, banking, FMCG, beauty, lifestyle, and education, which is an undisputed indication that the Indian women's stars have become the mainstream market's favourites.
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Tuhin Mishra, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Baseline Ventures (which manages Mandhana, Richa Ghosh, and Radha Yadav), and Karan Yadav, Chief Commercial Officer of JSW Sports (which represents Shafali and Jemimah), both confirmed a surge in commercial demand.
“We’re seeing a steep jump: two to three times in endorsement value for the top tier. Jemimah has moved from roughly ₹60 lakh to ₹1.5 crore+, while Shafali has climbed from around ₹40 lakh to ₹1 crore+,” said Yadav. Mishra added that standout World Cup performers could see even greater spikes.
Yadav attributed the rise not just to the team’s on-field success but also to their growing social media clout and cultural relevance. “Their visibility and engagement have exploded, Jemimah’s following has doubled to 3.3 million, and Shafali’s has grown by almost 50 per cent. Brands now view them as year-round storytellers, not just seasonal faces,” he explained.
Mishra noted that women cricketers are increasingly landing deals in traditionally male-dominated sectors such as automobiles, finance, and energy. “Smriti has been associated with brands like Hyundai, Gulf Oil, SBI, and PNB MetLife, industries that were once considered male-centric. This shows the market genuinely values our women stars,” he said.
With endorsements spanning from Nike and Nestlé to UNICEF and Volini, Mandhana’s portfolio reflects both her sporting stature and social influence. “Women cricketers today represent authenticity and ambition — qualities that resonate with audiences across metros and smaller cities alike,” Mishra added.
Yadav emphasised that the rise of women athletes is reshaping India’s celebrity economy. “The win has shifted them from ‘promising’ to ‘mainstream’. It’s not about replacing male stars, it’s about redefining star power with authenticity and purpose,” he said, predicting that women cricketers could soon command up to 25% of India’s total cricket endorsement value.
Adding to their celebrations, Tata Motors announced that every player would receive the first lot of its upcoming Tata Sierra SUV, while the BCCI confirmed a ₹51 crore reward fund for the squad and support staff. Several state governments have also declared additional cash prizes.
(By PTI inputs)
