Let’s discuss the most valuable IPL cricketers—with a twist.
In the 17 years of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which batter has provided the best return on investment in terms of hitting sixes? The #1 batter on this list may surprise you!
Let’s find out.
Key Takeaways
Chris Gayle (357), Rohit Sharma (257), AB De Villiers (251), MS Dhoni (239), and Virat Kohli (234) have hit the most sixes in the IPL.
Ambati Rayudu ($34,442), Chris Gayle ($37,808), Jos Buttler ($43,812), and Andre Russell ($45,430) have the best ratios of dollar per six in IPL history, while Rohit Sharma ($116,381), MS Dhoni ($119,280), and Virat Kohli ($120,470) have been the most expensive buys per six in this list.
Andre Russell is just a beast in the frequency of sixes he hits. He takes approximately 6.74 balls per six, that is almost one per over! Russell is comfortably ahead of the other two West Indians on this list—Chris Gayle (9.34), Kieron Pollard (10.39) who are then followed by AB de Villiers (13.56), Yusuf Pathan (14.18), Jos Buttler (14.58), and Shane Watson (14.78).
Chris Gayle (2.53), KL Rahul (1.54), and AB De Villiers (1.48) have the best ratio for the most sixes per innings.
Most Sixes in IPL Career
To begin our analysis, here is the list of players with the most number of sixes hit in the IPL.
Player
Innings
Sixes
Chris Gayle
142
357
Rohit Sharma
143
257
AB de Villiers
170
251
MS Dhoni
218
239
Virat Kohli
229
234
David Warner
176
226
Kieron Pollard
171
223
Suresh Raina
200
203
Andre Russell
96
193
Shane Watson
141
190
Sanju Samson
148
182
Robin Uthappa
197
182
Ambati Rayudu
187
173
KL Rahul
109
168
Glenn Maxwell
120
158
Yusuf Pathan
154
158
Jos Buttler
95
149
Yuvraj Singh
126
149
Shikhar Dhawan
218
148
Honorable Mentions: Faf du Plessis – 145, Dinesh Karthik – 139, Nitish Rana – 131, and Brendon McCullum – 130 miss out).
Top 19 Most Valuable Six Hitters in the Indian Premier League (IPL)
*Note: We have limited our analysis to the top 19 six hitters in the IPL (cutoff of 148 sixes).
Ambati Rayudu may probably be one of the steals of the IPL auctions!
Because Rayudu was an uncapped player for early part of his IPL career, his IPL salary was comparatively low to his contemporaries. He was a clutch player for both MI & CSK over the years and was worth every penny.
However, take this list with a grain of salt. The fact that Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni, and Virat Kohli end at the bottom of the list is due to the fact that they were retained almost every time. We are only comparing dollars per six here, but these three provided their IPL franchises a lot more value—Leadership, Fours, Runs, Orange Caps, IPL Titles, brand value, fan loyalty, match winning performances, and much more.
Thanks for reading, until next time.
Please do share ahead with your cricket loving friends!
In 1918, US President Woodrow Wilson gave a speech in the US Congress that would be regarded as the “Fourteen Points.” It proposed potential resolutions to end the ‘Great War’ (World War I), outlined how the world could move towards peace and prevent future wars, and was a key factor during the Treaty of Versailles.
Now I know what you may be thinking. What kind of comparison is this? Cricket is not war!
It definitely isn’t, but we can all agree that cricket has its share of problems.
Yesterday, the West Indies and England reminded us how special Test cricket truly is. The ebbs and flows, last day drama, the inspiration of an injured Shamar Joseph and Jack Leach fighting for their countries, the comeback of Tom Hartley, the camaraderie between the teams, and much, much more.
It reminded me why I started watching cricket in the first place, and I would love more of days like yesterday.
Hence, without further ado, here are my Fourteen Points to help preserve Test cricket, reduce the conflicts in the current cricketing calendar, and help fuel the growth of cricket in smaller nations.
In 2015, the Test Match fund was pondered, where the ICC would offer $12.5 million to the non-Big 3 Test playing countries to support Test matches over a few years.
This idea, however, never materialized. In our research, we found that it takes anywhere from $350,000-$1.4 million to host just a single one Test match, which is often a burden on the smaller nations. If a team hosts 2 three-match Test series in a year, that could incur a cost ranging from $2 million-$8.5 million per year.
Potential Problems
Even at the lower estimates, $2 million for 12 Test playing nations would cost the ICC about $24 million per year. That is a lot of money.
This will be a huge effort on the part of the ICC, which may require additional sponsorships, broadcast rights expansions, etc.
To start off this process, the ICC Test match fund could be piloted among the cricketing nations who are losing money to host a Test(ex: New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, Pakistan, etc.).
Who Said What?
“Unless the boards change the economic model, I don’t think Test cricket will thrive outside of the Big 3.”
Currently, India pays its men’s Test players $18,800 per Test, Australia pays about $12,500-$17,725 USD per Test, and England pays its players around $17,600. On the other hand, a New Zealand men’s Test match fee is about $6,600 USD.
The ICC will need to setup a committee and decide what a decent minimum Test match fee is and then work with each of the cricket boards to split duties on minimum fees.
For example, if we decide that $ 17,600 (like England) is a good enough Test match fee and NZ cricket board are already paying their players $6,600, then the ICC would jump in and make up the deficit of $11,000 per Test per player. Hence, the Big 3 may not need support from the ICC (and will be allowed to pay their players bonuses on top of the minimum fee), but the ICC would need to help the other countries out.
Potential Problems
Once again, we are asking ICC to bear a potentially high cost, but does the ICC even have this much money?
If not, how can they bring in more money? If this causes the ICC to host more World Cups and tournaments, then this will crowd the already crowded cricket calendar. We do not want to create more issues to solve one problem.
“We’ve got to figure out a way for them [other countries] to be incentivized to play international and particularly Test cricket. That requires transparency from all cricket boards around the world to try to figure out how to pay the players the best way they can.”
– Usman Khawaja
“…Similarly to save Test wicket they should introduce standard match fee for all the boards, so that all players of Test cricket nations can have the same match fee.”
Mohammad Hafeez
III. Introduction of Test Match Windows
How Will it Work?
A few people have suggested having 3-month window where only Test cricket is played. However, I think this is an incomplete solution since the Northern and Southern hemispheres have different seasons for cricket.
What could happen is from May-July, there should be a window to play Tests in England, West Indies, and the subcontinent nations while December-February should have a window for Test cricket in New Zealand, South Africa, and Australia. In these windows, we may simultaneously see the Ashes, Ind-SA Tests, and NZ-Pak Tests for example. So the focus of the fan base is solely on Test cricket.
Now we cannot stop franchise cricket for six months, so what can be done?
We can customize the window per nation. For example, when a country is hosting or touring for Test cricket within those two larger windows, they are not allowed to host a franchise league. This will help avoid clashes that we are seeing with South Africa and the SA20. On the flip side, leagues like the BBL can benefit because the BBL will have all their international players to choose from.
Potential Problems
This will definitely cause backlash by the franchises because prime time will be taken away from them.
For example, this rule would mean The Hundred cannot be scheduled in the summer months when Test cricket takes priority. This is the time that students have vacations, the weather is decent, and there is time to spend with family. The broadcasters may also suffer due to lower television ratings.
Who Said What
A 3 month dedicated window for Test cricket every year for both the men & women’s teams is the only way to protect the greatest format .. no other cricket but Test around those 3 months .. the other 9 months for all the leagues ICC events .. 👍👍
Don’t worry, I am not advocating the ‘Death of ODI cricket’ or anything like that. We saw in the 2023 ODI World Cup that fans still enjoy ODI cricket albeit in a smaller dose. Removing ODI bilaterals will provide space in the calendar to accommodate Test cricket, franchise leagues, and qualification matches (more on this, a few sections later).
Potential Problems
Loss of sponsorships and advertising revenues for host countries.
V. Abolishment of the Bilateral T20I Series
How Will it Work?
Read point IV. Same as above.
This year, India will only have the 3-match T20I series against Afghanistan and the IPL to choose its players for the World Cup. The franchise tournaments will be enough to assess the player pool for T20 World Cups.
VI. Transformation of the two-year World Test Championship cycle into a Concentrated Test World Cup
How Will it Work?
Four 3-match series will occur for the Top 8 ranked teams during the first six months of the year in two different neutral countries (ex: Aus v WI (#1 v#8), Ind v SL (#2 v #7), Eng v Pak (#3 v #6), SA v NZ (#4 v #5)).
The four winners will then play 6 Tests in a round-robin format in the ‘Final Stage’ of this Test World Cup. The Top 2 teams will then play a 3-match series for the World Cup Final.
Note: During this Test World Cup year, regular bilateral Test series will not take place since this will take place during the Test windows.
Potential Problems
The teams that did not qualify in the Top 8 or lost in the first stage may not play much Test cricket that year.
Who Said What
"The only effort that's been made to try to keep it relevant, I think has made it worse!" 📉@markbutcher72 believes the introduction of the World Test Championship has contributed to the decline of Test cricket.
VII: Two-Tiered Test League with Relegation & Promotion
How Will it Work?
The 12-Test playing nations will be divided into two brackets (#1-6 in Bracket A and #7-12 in Bracket B). At the end of each two-year league, the bottom two of Bracket A will be demoted to Bracket B and vice-versa.
The top eight-teams (all 6 teams in Bracket A and top 2 of Bracket B) will compete in the Test World Cup.
Potential Problems
Since we are proposing Test match windows, some windows may have too much Test cricket if that’s even possible.
VIII: 4-Day 3 Match Series instead of 2 Tests
How Will it Work?
If the Test match fund and calendar problems are solved with the above solutions, then there will not be a need for a 2-Test series (since teams will have enough money to host Tests).
However, if the situation arises that only 2-Tests are possible, then instead a 3-match 4-day Test series should take place. This will only add two days to the overall match time and maybe an additional week for the overall tour.
Potential Problems
This could result in too many draws if multiple teams agree on this approach.
Who Said What
“I’m not sure whether it’s changing it to four-day Test matches, so you can have an extra day to make sure that you play that third Test match.”
IX. Advertising Revenue and ICC Funding for County Cricket, Sheffield Shield, Ranji, and other domestic four-day tournaments.
How Will it Work?
Franchise cricket is popular because the best players play in these leagues and sponsorship/TV revenue is high. On the other hand, County Cricket is shown on some YouTube channels, if at all.
The ICC should have a mandate to oversee that cricket boards are actively publicizing domestic cricket. This could be done by providing boards additional capital for domestic tournaments, having free to air channels, or by marketing domestic tournaments on social media channels.
Potential Problems
This could take additional manpower and resource, which will increase the costs of all parties involved.
X: Mandatory Practice Games with Similar Pitches
How Will it Work?
I have no problems with India coming up with rank turners or South Africa’s bounce troubling batters. I do, however, have a problem with multiple Tests finishing within two to three days and the lack of practice matches.
England have gone to India for a 5-match Test series without a practice match!
What should happen are at least 2 mandatory practice 4-day matches on pitches with similar conditions. If India plan on putting up rank turners, they need to make rank turners for these practice matches. If the series will have a variety of surfaces (for example, Dharamsala and Chennai), then the two practice matches need to have different surfaces. The ICC need to get involved as the impartial spectator to ensure consistency in pitches.
Potential Problems
This could mean longer tours for visiting teams and time away from home.
XI. Revival of the ODI Super League, Revamping of Qualification Systems & ICC Rankings
How Will it Work?
The ODI Super League shall be revived for the benefit of ‘Associate’ nations like the Netherlands and Scotland.
Unlike the first edition of the ODI Super League, the Super League will be divided into a few groups (for example, 18-team Super League with 3 groups of 6). Every few months, a country will hold a Qualification round to play some of the matches. After a couple of rotations, each team in the group have played against each other twice (at least 10 matches per team before the World Cup).
These matches will be all be a part of World Cup qualification. No additional friendly bilateral games.
Potential Problems
Scheduling could be a problem with the various franchise leagues going around.
XII. Staggered ODI & T20 World Cups every 2 years, Removal of the ICC Champions Trophy
How Will it Work?
There are too many World Cups happening now. T20 World Cups in 2021 & 2022, an ODI World Cup in 2023, and another T20 WC coming up in 2024.
That’s an overkill. Rather, we can have ODI World Cups in 2027, 2031, 2035, etc. while T20 World Cups are hosted in 2029, 2033, 2037, etc. – also every four years. Then there will be space for the Test World Cup in 2028, 2032, 2036, etc.
This should also be implemented in the women’s game (One idea could be to stagger all 4 – 2027 Men’s ODI, 2028 WODI, 2029 – MT20, 2030 – WT20, etc.).
Potential Problems
Players might retire earlier if they know they cannot make it to the next ICC tournament.
XIII. Maximum Leagues Cap for Nationally Contracted Players
How Will it Work?
We can come up with a compromise so that nationally contracted players can play a maximum of 3 leagues per year (including the IPL), any 4 leagues (if no IPL deals), and no restrictions if without a contract.
If Test windows and minimum Test match fees is implemented, then this should benefit both international cricket and the players themselves.
Potential Problems
Players may not sign the national contract at all and be franchise freelancers if that benefits them in the long run.
XIV: Re-Establish Champions League, Limit Expansion of the IPL
How Will it Work?
It is clear that IPL franchises are starting to own stakes in other leagues. In the past, the Champions League did not provide value because a single player would have conflicts over multiple franchise but end up playing for their IPL teams.
If the IPL team starts doing year long contracts (for example, the same player plays for MI, MI Cape Town, MI NY, etc.), then there shouldn’t be a conflict of interest as before.
Potential Problems
For yet another competition to be in the cricket calendar, the IPL has to stop at the 10 teams, 3-month format. If the IPL is any longer, international cricket may cease to exist.
Final Thoughts
I was trying to write this article for a couple of weeks but for some reason, couldn’t find the words and ideas. But on a day where Shamar Joseph and Tom Hartley created history and Test cricket came to life, the idea just magically flowed through.
Much like Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen points and the League of Nations (precursor to the United Nations), I fully expect the ICC to not pay attention to any of this and lead to major chasms in cricket in the coming years (much like the US themselves did not join the League of Nations, thereby weakened it, and ultimately were not able to prevent World War II).
This article may sound a bit quixotic in nature, but we have to start somewhere, don’t we? The world can only change if conversations begin.
The future of cricket is at stake. Will the ICC do something about it?
What are your thoughts? I want to know, comment below! How would you solve the problems that cricket faces today?
Related Articles
If you like reading about potential solutions to problems in cricket, do read the following:
Today we will discuss the salary of a Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) player in the West Indies.
With the great Bangladesh generation of the Bangladesh comprising of Shakib, Tamim, Mahmudullah, Liton, and more—the BPL has generated lots of hype over the years.
However, there’s one question on every cricket fan’s mind: just how much do these players make?
BPL Salary – By the Numbers
The average salary range of a Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) player is $20,472-$52,969. The estimated maximum salary cap for the entire BPL ranges from $2.6 million-$6.6 Million for about 127 players, divided among 7 teams.
The average salary for a domestic Bangladesh Premier League player is about $17,000-$37,000 (estimated range of $ 1.2 million-$2.6 million for a total of 71 domestic players). The average salary for an overseas BPL cricketer is about $25,000-$71,000 (estimated range of $1.4 million-$4 million for 56 signed overseas players).
Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Draft – How Much Was Each Local Draft Pick?
Category
Salary Amounts – $USD (BDT)
Category A
$72,897 (BDT 80 Lakh)
Category B
$45,561 (BDT 50 Lakh)
Category C
$27,337 (BDT 30 Lakh)
Category D
$18,224 (BDT 20 Lakh)
Category E
$13,668 (BDT 15 Lakh)
Category F
$9,112 (BDT 10 Lakh)
Category G
$4,556 (BDT 5 Lakh)
Note: We use the conversion, $1 US Dollar = 109.77 Bangladeshi Taka (BDT) as of 1/18/2024.
Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Overseas Signings
Category
Salary Amounts – $USD
CategoryA
$80,000
CategoryB
$60,000
CategoryC
$40,000
CategoryD
$30,000
CategoryE
$20,000
*The draft salary amounts include tax
BPL Draft Picks – Salary of Bangladesh Premier League Player
Note: We have provided ranges because signings (both local & overseas) and retention/transfer amounts are not disclosed.
However, the minimum and maximum for player signings will align with the category table above. Hence, a local player signing can range from $4,556-$72,897 (5-80 Lakh BDT) and an overseas player signing can range from $20,000-$80,000.
The number of players in the BPL is also highly variable due to the clashes with the BBL, SA20, and ILT20 (so there are lots of replacements/players that will only play for a few games).
Overseas Signings: Johnson Charles, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Rizwan, Moeen Ali, Rakheem Cornwall, Sunil Narine, Rashid Khan, Andre Russell, Matthew Forde, Naseem Shah, Noor Ahmad, Zaman Khan
Local Signed/Retained Players: Liton Das, Towhid Hridoy, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanvir Islam
Overseas Signings: Dushan Hemantha, Samit Patel, Richard Ngarava, George Scrimshaw
Local Signings/Retentions: Najmul Hossain Shanto, Zakir Hasan, Mashrafe Mortaza, Tanzim Hasan Sakib
Sylhet Strikers Draft Salaries – Overseas Players
Player
Category
Salary
Ryan Burl
B
$60,000
Harry Tector
E
$20,000
Ben Cutting
D
$30,000
Sylhet Strikers Draft Salaries – Local Players
Player
Category
Salary
Mohammad Mithun
C
$27,337 (BDT 30 Lakh)
Yasir Ali
C
$27,337 (BDT 30 Lakh)
Ariful Haque
D
$18,224 (BDT 20 Lakh)
Nayeem Hasan
C
$27,337 (BDT 30 Lakh)
Rejaur Rahman Raja
D
$18,224 (BDT 20 Lakh)
Shafiqul Islam
D
$18,224 (BDT 20 Lakh)
Jawad Mohammad Royen
E
$13,668 (BDT 15 Lakh)
Final Thoughts
The theory of evolution by Charles Darwin revolves around the idea of ‘Survival of the Fittest.’
A decade ago, the Bangladesh Premier League was a decent league that attracted some talent from around the world.
Fast forward to 2024 with ILT20 & SA20 pairing with the IPL and paying their players loads of money, the BPL is not thriving. The mismanagement of the league, lack of DRS, discipline issues, and lack of availability does not help either.
Will the BPL survive? What do you think?
Related Cricket Content
Cricket and Finances Articles
For other content on Finances in Cricket, do read:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – Salary of Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) player
What is the average salary for a Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) player in Bangladesh?
The average salary range of a Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) player is $20,472-$52,969. The estimated maximum salary cap for the entire BPL ranges from $2.6 million-$6.6 Million for about 127 players, divided among 7 teams.
Is Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) the richest cricket league in the world?
No, the BPL is the 9th richest league in the world by player salaries (or the third poorest league) with the IPL still standing at #1.
Who was the most expensive player in the BPL 2024 draft?
Mushfiqur Rahim was the most expensive player in the 2024 Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) draft. He was the only category A player priced at 80 Lakh BDT ($72,897).
Today we will discuss the salary of International League T20 (ILT20) player in the UAE.
The league has generated enormous hype due to the salary they pay their players. Will this threaten to collapse the international cricket calendar.
How much do these players make? Can the ILT20 compete with the IPL?
ILT20 Salary – By the Numbers
The average salary of an International League T20 (ILT20) player is $138,888 (maximum 18 players in the squad with a maximum purse of $2.5 million). Hence, the maximum salary cap for the entire ILT20 was $15 million for a maximum of 108 players, divided among 6 teams.
Each team has allocated a purse ranging from $1.5 million (minimum wage bill) up to $2.5 million (maximum wage bill) to acquire their 18 players (maximum 12 overseas players). The maximum wage bill includes a $500,000 loyalty or signing-on bonus as well as a $500,000 bid purse per team that can be distributed among the players on top of their wage slots.
The maximum an ILT20 player can earn is up to $450,000 ($340,000 is the maximum wage and another $110,000 can come from the signing on bonus).
Zee Entertainment Enterprises signed a ten-year $100-$120 million deal with the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) for the media broadcasting rights.
The International League T20 (ILT20) – How Much Was Each Wage Slot?
The second season of the ILT20 will run from 19 January-17 February 2024 in the UAE. This time around, these matches have been granted official List A status. In any case, here are the wage slots for the 18-men squad in the ILT20 league.
Wage Slots
Salary Amounts (Minimum)
Slot 1
$340,000
Slot 2
$260,000
Slot 3
$220,000
Slots 4-5
$140,000
Slot 6
$100,000
Slots 7-8
$60,000
Slots 9-10
$40,000
Slots 11-12
$20,000
Slots 13-18
$10,000
ILT20 Retained Players and Squads – Salary of International League T20 Player
Another reason the ILT20 has garnered interest is because of its overseas player limit. The ILT20 has instilled a limit of nine overseas players in the XI. This is much more extreme than the 4-5 we see in the other teams.
This is how the teams stack up:
1. Abu Dhabi Knight Riders
Retained Players: Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Joe Clarke, Charith Asalanka, Sabir Ali, Ali Khan, Matiullah Khan, Marchant de Lange
Squad: Laurie Evans, Sam Hain, Michael Pepper, Alishan Sharafu, Ravi Bopara, Brandon McMullen, David Willey, Adhitya Shetty, Josh Little, Sabir Ali, Matiullah Khan, Jake Lintott
2. Desert Vipers
Retained Players: Wanindu Hasaranga, Alex Hales, Tom Curran, Colin Munro, Sherfane Rutherford, Luke Wood, Matheesha Pathirana, Rohan Mustafa, Sheldon Cottrell, Dinesh Chandimal, Gus Atkinson* (withdrawn), Ali Naseer
Squad: Azam Khan, Adam Hose, Michael Jones, Bas de Leede, Shadab Khan, Aryan Lakra, Karthik Meiyappan, Tymal Mills, Shaheen Shah Afridi
3. Dubai Capitals
Retained Players: Joe Root, Sikandar Raza, Rovman Powell, Dushmantha Chameera, Raja Akifullah Khan
Squad: Vritya Aravind, Sam Billings, Rahul Chopra, Max Holden, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sadeera Samarawickrama, David Warner, Mohammad Mohsin, Dasun Shanaka, Roelof van der Merwe, Akif Raja, Nuwan Thurshara, Andrew Tye, Mark Wood, Haider Ali
4. Gulf Giants
Retained Players: Shimron Hetmyer, Chris Jordan, James Vince, Jamie Overton, Chris Lynn, Aayan Khan, Sanchit Sharma, Richard Gleeson, Carlos Brathwaite, Rehan Ahmed, Gerhard Erasmus
Squad: Jordan Cox, Jamie Smith, Usman Khan, Aayan Afzal Khan, Dominic Drakes, Karim Janat, Mujeeb Ur Rahman*, Saurabh Netravalkar, Sanchit Sharma, Zuhaib Zubair
*Mujeeb is banned from ILT20 for a season or two due to a breach in contract
5. MI Emirates
Retained Players: Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Nicholas Pooran, Muhammad Waseem, Daniel Mousley, Trent Boult, Zahoor Khan, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Jordan Thompson, Will Smeed, McKenny Clarke, Andre Fletcher
Retained Players: Chris Woakes, Junaid Siddique, Mark Deyal, Joe Denly, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Muhammad Jawadullah
Squad: Basil Hameed, Johnson Charles, Martin Guptill, Kusal Mendis, Sean Williams, James Fuller, Lewis Gregory, Nilansh Keswani, Daniel Sams, Dilshan Madushanka, Qais Ahmad, Chris Sole, Mahesh Theekshana, Mark Watt
Cricket is at a breaking point. We have said this time and time again.
We are now at an extremely crucial juncture in cricket’s history. Not only is international cricket competing with franchise leagues for a spot in the calendar, the T20 leagues themselves are at odds with each other.
The SA20, ILT20, BBL, BPL, and New Zealand’s Super Smash are all competing for top talent between December and February, after which the PSL and IPL take over. Which leagues will survive?
We do not know, but international cricket may not. Test cricket (outside of the Big 3), definitely, will not.
Related Cricket Content
Cricket and Finances Articles
For other content on Finances in Cricket, do read:
Today we will discuss the salary of a SA20 player in South Africa.
After years of failing to develop a T20 league, it looks like South Africa finally have a competition that will survive (with the help of the IPL franchises, of course).
The average salary of a South Africa T20 League (SA20) player is $110,000 (maximum 19 players in the squad with a maximum purse of 39.1 million South African Rands or $2.09 Million USD). The salary cap in the 2024 SA20 season increased from R. 34 million to R. 39.1 million.
The maximum salary cap for the entire SA20 was $12.55 Million, for a maximum of 114 players, divided among 6 teams.
The South Africa T20 League (SA20) – What is the Average SA20 Salary?
*Note: The amounts shown below are average auction prices. Since pre-auction signing salaries are undisclosed, some of those players are probably earning much higher amounts since the average salary of a SA20 player is $110,000.
Also, the wildcard picks have a minimum salary of R. 175,000, but this can be outside the salary purse.
SA20 Team
Average Auction Salary Amounts
Durban Super Giants
$86,550
Joburg Super Kings
$98,640
MI Cape Town
$63,270
Paarl Royals
$71,620
Pretoria Capitals
$95,200
Sunrisers Eastern Cape
$106,030
We use the conversion, $1 USD = 18.69 South African Rand (as of 1/7/2024)
SA20 Auction Picks – Salary of South Africa League T20
Now we summarize the salaries for each team based on both the 2023 SA20 Auction as well as the 2024 mini-auction.
2024 is the year where international cricket calendar might finally crash.
The inaugural seasons of SA20, ILT20, and MLC were all a huge season. Now, there is virtually no open space in the international calendar.
The SA20, with its backing from the IPL franchises, will ensure South African cricketers make a decent living, but it may come at the expense of international cricket.
Is it worth it? Can the leagues and international cricket co-exist? What is the solution?
So many questions. What do you say? Comment Below! For now, we can go and enjoy good cricket in the SA20.
Related Cricket Content
Cricket and Finances Articles
For other content on Finances in Cricket, do read:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – Salary of South Africa T20 League (SA20) player
What is the average salary for a South Africa T20 League (SA20) player in South Africa?
The average salary for a SA20 player is about $110,000. Teams had a salary purse of 39.1 Million Rands or $2.09 Million for a maximum of 19 players in their squads.
Is the South Africa T20 League (SAT20) the richest cricket league in the world?
No, the Indian Premier League (IPL) is the richest cricket league in the world. The SA20 (South African T20 League) is the 3rd richest league by average player salaries.
Who was the most expensive player in the 2024 SA20 Competition?
Tristan Stubbs (R. 9,200,000 or $492,000) is the most expensive player in the SA20 competition.
Who are the most expensive IPL auction players of All-Time?
It is that time of the year again—Yep, you guessed it—The IPL Auction!
With the IPL 2024 Auction here, we bring to you the most expensive IPL auction players of all-time with a twist. Along with the auction prices, we also consider the dollar to rupee conversion at every IPL auction.
Key Takeaways – Most Expensive IPL Auction Players
Yuvraj Singh – 2015 ($2.56 Million), Gautam Gambhir – 2011 ($2.4 Million), Chris Morris – 2021 ($2.24 Million), Yuvraj Singh – 2014 ($2.24 Million), and Sam Curran – 2023 ($2.23 Million) are the most expensive IPL auction players of all-time.
In 2008, $1 = 39.25 INR. In 2023, $1 = 82.81 INR.
The Top 36 IPL auction buys ranged from $1.5 million (MS Dhoni, Mahela Jayawardene) to $2.56 Million (Yuvraj Singh). In Indian Rupees, the player salaries ranged from 5.88 Crore (MS Dhoni) to 18.5 Crore (Sam Curran).
Yuvraj Singh & Ben Stokes (3 times each) as well asGlenn Maxwell & Dinesh Karthik (twice each) feature on this list multiple times.
India (18), England (9), Australia (5), West Indies (1), New Zealand (1), South Africa (1), and Sri Lanka (1) make up the most expensive IPL players of all-time ($1.5 million or above).
The franchises that have spent the most money regularly in IPL auctions are: RCB (7), CSK, KKR, PBKS/KXIP (5), MI, DD (3), RR, SRH (2), and LSG, KTK, PWI, RPS (1).
IPL 2023: Sam Curran (18.5 Crore INR), Cameron Green (17.5 Crore INR), Ben Stokes (16.25 Crore INR), Nicholas Pooran (16 Crore INR), Harry Brook (13.25 Crore INR)
USD to INR Conversion Rates (2008-2023)
It is important to consider the US$ to INR conversion year at the start of each year from 2008 to 2023.
We do this for two reasons: (1) The Indian economy has vastly changed in the last 15 years and the Rupee has taken a nosedive and (2) to compare IPL auction price across the different years.
Take for example, Ben Stokes.
In IPL 2017, he was sold for 14.5 Crore INR, when $1 = 66.91 INR.
A year later, his price was 12.5 Crore INR, when $1 = 63.6 INR.
Finally, in IPL 2023, Stokes was sold for 16.25 Crore INR, when $1 = 82.81 INR.
On the face of it, the 16.25 Crore INR looks like the ‘most expensive’ price Stokes was bought at. However, IPL 2017 was actually the better deal for Stokes.
IPL Auction Year
1 US$ to INR Conversion (IPL Auction Date)
2008
39.25 INR (01/24/2008)
2009
48.63 INR (02/06/2009)
2010
45.76 INR (01/19/2010)
2011
45.35 INR (01/08/2011)
2012
48.60 INR (02/04/2012)
2013
53.16 INR (02/03/2013)
2014
62.43 INR (02/13/2014)
2015
62.11 INR (02/16/2015)
2016
67.80 INR (02/06/2016)
2017
66.91 INR (02/20/2017)
2018
63.60 INR (01/27/2018)
2019
70.62 INR (12/18/2018)
2020
71.18 INR (12/19/2019)
2021
72.59 INR (02/18/2021)
2022
75.65 INR (02/12/2022)
2023
82.81 INR (12/23/2022)
Top 20 Most Expensive IPL Auction Buys of All-Time
Some of these players were let go of their franchises frequently and fetched a high-price on multiple occasions. Also, this list does not include retentions, transfers, drafts, and any undisclosed fees. These are the most expensive IPL auction players as per the IPL auction only.
*Note: The Base Price is shown as the amount used during the auction. Hence, for IPL 2008-2013, it will be in US $, while it will be displayed as INR for IPL 2014 and later.
The Indian Premier League is known for its extravagant spending. The IPL auction has now become a yearly phenomenon on its own.
The top 36 most expensive IPL buys of all time includes some of the most iconic players in the world, such as Yuvraj Singh, Gautam Gambhir, and Sam Curran.
The money spent on these players shows that there is always going to be a high demand for talent in the IPL, and that it will continue to be one of the most exciting sporting events.
How high do you think IPL salaries can go? Will they match the NBA or NFL?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – Most Expensive IPL Auction Players
Who is the most expensive player in IPL auction history?
Yuvraj Singh – 2015 ($2.56 Million), Gautam Gambhir – 2011 ($2.4 Million), Chris Morris – 2021 ($2.24 Million), Yuvraj Singh – 2014 ($2.24 Million), and Sam Curran – 2023 ($2.23 Million) are the most expensive IPL auction players of all-time.
Who is the highest paid cricketer in IPL history?
Yuvraj Singh in the IPL 2015 auction was the highest paid cricketer in IPL history (auction only) at 16 Crore INR ($2.56 Million). There were other players that may have been retained, transferred, etc. at a higher, undisclosed rate.
How much was $1 worth in Indian Rupee (INR) in 2008?
$1 was worth 39.25 INR in 2008 and has risen up to 83.3 INR in 2023.