The prize pool for this year’s Women’s World Cup has been doubled to $US2 million, the International Cricket Council has announced.

The original prize pool for the 2017 tournament was $US1 million, but the ICC confirmed on Thursday that amount would be doubled, to $US 2 million ($AUD2.7 million). It’s a ten-fold increase on the $US200,000 prize pool that was on offer for the previous World Cup in 2013, when Australia defeated West Indies in the final to claim their sixth title.

 “The ICC Women’s World Cup is the pinnacle of the women’s game and as such the players should be rewarded appropriately,” ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said.  “Two million dollars is the first step towards greater parity and recognition.  “The prize fund for the 2013 edition was just $200,000, and this announcement shows a greater level of commitment than ever before.

The tournament gets underway in England in late June, with ten matches to be shown live by the host broadcaster, with the remaining 21 games to be live streamed by the ICC.

Seven pool matches will be televised alongside both semi-finals and the final - to be held at Lord’s on July 23 – while DRS will be introduced into the women’s game for the first time.

The television broadcast will be covered with the help of 30 cameras, while the final will see a drone camera and a Spidercam deployed - something never seen before at Lord’s.