World Cup 2023: No matter how large, a runners-up award never tastes good. At most, it serves as another reminder of “what ifs”. What if, in the championship match, India had bowled first? What if Rohit Sharma had continued on his journey unhindered? What if Virat Kohli hadn’t pulled one back onto his stumps before? What if Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head were bowled by Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav and they slipped? And what if…
Beyond ‘Ifs and Buts
But the truth goes far beyond ifs and buts. Not on paper, not in form, but in strategy, in grabbing the crucial moments, in rising to the occasion, Australia was the superior team. The outcome? an unprecedented sixth World Cup victory. Regarding India? One another day of gathering broken bits. This time, however, it would take more time to put the parts together because they had been so painstakingly joined during the competition, just to come apart at the most crucial moment.
ICC’s Bittersweet Reward for Indian Cricket Players
Therefore, it wouldn’t do much to lessen the Indian cricket players’ pain when they learned about the prize money they would receive from the ICC for finishing as the World Cup 2023 runners-up. However, it would act as yet another reminder of their supremacy throughout the entire competition.
India’s US$2 Million ICC Prize
As the runners-up in the 2023 World Cup, India would get US$2 million as prize money from the International Cricket Council. Their lone loss of the competition came in the final against a formidable Australian team. Prior to it, the team captained by Rohit Sharma had won ten straight games, including a victory over New Zealand in the semifinals.
The Financial Side of World Cup Wins
The International Cricket Council (ICC) had declared before to the start of the competition that teams will receive points for each group stage win this year. US$40,000 was the sum for the same. India received an additional US$360,000. This is because they were the only side to win all nine of their group stage matches. To now, Team India has earned US$23,60,000 from this World Cup. How they wish they could have traded the World Cup trophy for all of that with Australia.
Australia’s Financial Triumph in World Cup Victory
However, Australia’s victory over India, which they won by six wickets on Sunday in front of around 95,000 spectators at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, was not limited to just the trophy and winners’ medal. The team lead by Pat Cummins left with a large paycheck of their own. Australia’s World Cup victory earned them US$4 million. As a result of winning seven of their nine group stage games, they received an extra $280,000 USD. Australia earned $42,80,000 in total at the 2023 World Cup.
New Zealand and South Africa’s Financial Glory
Semi-finalists New Zealand and South Africa were among the highest earners, aside from Australia and India. Reaching the semifinals paid them each $800,000, although the Proteas’ higher earnings came from winning more games during the group stage. They shared the same $280,000 bonus as Australia for winning seven games during the group round. Conversely, the Kiwis took home US$200,000 for their five victories.
Every Team’s Share in World Cup Prize Money
No team in this World Cup left empty-handed thanks to the prize money awarded for each group stage victory. With four victories in nine games, Pakistan and Afghanistan, who placed fifth and sixth in the points standings, respectively, took home US$160,000 apiece. After winning three matches, the defending champions were awarded US$120,000, while the winners of the tournament, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the Netherlands, each took home US$80,000.
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