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Top 12 Richest Cricket Boards (RANKED 2023): Which Cricket Board Has the Highest Net Worth—BCCI, CA, ECB, CSA, or PCB?

Discussing the richest cricket boards is common in the world of cricket today.

Dwaine Pretorius becomes the latest to retire from internationals to focus on T20 leagues. He follows Colin de Grandhomme, Trent Boult, Martin Guptill, and several others in becoming free agents. The SA 20 league, aka IPL in South Africa, has gained a lot of attention in being the ‘final hope’ for South African cricket. But why is that South African, New Zealand, and West Indies cricketers in particular are leaving international cricket?

It all boils down to the money. Today, we discuss the richest cricket boards in Part 4 of our series, Cricket & Finances. Here is quick overview:

The BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) is the richest cricket league in the world with an estimated $2 billion annual revenue. The BCCI is followed by the ECB (England & Wales Cricket Board) at $368 Million, and CA (Cricket Australia) at $270 Million in annual revenue. The CSA (Cricket South Africa) has revenues of $46 million, NZC (New Zealand Cricket) is at $42 million, and CWI (Cricket West Indies) is at $28 million. Those are not bad numbers, but exploring a bit in-depth, we see that CSA had a total comprehensive loss of $11.6 million, NZC suffered a loss of $4.6 million, and CWI incurred a loss of $10 million.

World’s Richest Cricket Boards (Lowest to Highest)

We looked at the financial statements and Annual Reports of each of these respective boards to come up with the revenue, expenditure, and total surplus/loss. The ranking of the national cricket board is displayed with the (annual revenue) and partners/sponsors.

*all figures are in $US dollars.

12. Zimbabwe Cricket – ZC ($5.5 Million)

  • Revenue: $5,520,442
  • Total Operating Costs: $6,953,991
  • Total Deficit: $1,239,606 (LOSS)
  • Total Comprehensive Income (after surplus on lands and buildings): – $1,192,166

Is Zimbabwe Cricket profitable? No, Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) is not profitable with a deficit of $1.1 million in 2020.

Based on Annual Reports & financial statements ending on 31 December 2020.

Partners

  • Banaqua, Swift, Zimpharm, Dandemutande, A May, Ihsan, Swift, Windmill Pvt Ltd

Sources: https://zimcricket.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Zimbabwe-Cricket-Annual-Report-2020_2021.pdf

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11. Afghanistan Cricket Board – ACB ($7.15 Million)

  • Total Revenue: $7.15 Million
  • Total Expenses: $6.76 Million
  • Surplus: $390,000

Is Afghanistan Cricket Board profitable? Yes, Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) is marginally profitable with a surplus of $390,000 in 2019 (breakeven).

*Note: This is based on the 2019 Annual Report, published in 2020. US withdrawal of Afghanistan occurred around August 2021. No new annual reports have been published since then.

Highlights from the 2019-20 Annual Report

“Afghanistan Cricket Board as the owner of the league spent around $369,000 for the implementation of the Shpageeza Cricket League (SCL).

The distribution of revenue for ACB was as follows:

  • 84% ICC Distribution
  • 9% Government
  • 4% Marketing
  • 3% Shpageeza

Partners

  • Main Sponsor: Partner with ACB
  • National Team Sponsor: Super Cola
  • Official NFT: Rario
  • Cloth Manufacturing Partner: TYKA
  • IT Partner: Afghan Telecom
  • Other Partners: Asian Cricket Councial, ICC
  • SCL Sponsor: Etisalat
  • Main Jersey Sponsor: Diva Group
  • Medical Partner: Blossom Health Care
  • Beverage Partner: Habib Gulzar Limited
  • Umpires Jersey Sponsor: RTA Sports
  • Other Sponsors: Kam Air, Dafa News, Madava Hospital, Tayyab Yasir Limited, Refai Shaheen Construction Company

Sources: 1618643450.Annual Report 2020 Final.pdf (cricket.af)

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10. Cricket Ireland ($9.5 Million)

  • Income: 8,885,993 Euros ($9,537,336)
  • Expenses: 11 Million Euros ($11.7 Million)
    • Direct Expenses – 6,504,461 Euros ($6,981,237), Administrative Expenses – 4,465,456 Euros ($4,792,774)
  • Deficit: – 1,230,869 Euros (- $1.3 Million) (LOSS)
  • Retained earnings at the end of the financial year: 310,166 ($333,000)

Based on Annual Reports & financial statements ending on 31 December 2021.

Is Cricket Ireland profitable? No, Cricket Ireland is not profitable with a deficit of 1,230,869 Euros ($1.3 Million). On the other hand, in 2020, the Cricket Ireland was profitable with a surplus of 1,537,632 Euros ($1.65 Million).

Partners

  • Main Sponsors & Men’s Shirts Rights Holder: ITW Consulting
  • Official Ireland Women’s Team Partner & Official Technology Partner: Hanley Energy
  • Official Airline Partner: Turkish Airlines
  • Official sponsor of Inter-Provincial Series: Test Triangle
  • Official IT Services Partner: Techfynder
  • Official Currency Exchange Partner: Clear Currency
  • Official Partners: Amul, O’Neills, Ulster University, Tildenet, Club Travel, La Manga Club, ICC, Sport Ireland, Sport Northern Ireland, The Hope Foundation, Federation of Irish Sport, Arachas Insurance, Mansfield Sports Group

Sources: item_5_-_Irish_Cricket_Union_CLG_2021_-_financial_statements_140422.pdf (cricketireland.ie)

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9. Sri Lankan Cricket Board – SLCB ($22 Million)

  • Total Revenue: 7,994,291,865 SL Rupee ($22,022,843)
  • Total Expenses: 5,883,380,298 SL Rupee ($16,207,659)
  • Net Surplus: 2,138,726,491 SL Rupee ($5,891,809)
  • Total Comprehensive Income (after assets, taxes, actuarial gain, etc.): 2,478,605,198 SL Rupee ($6,8282,113)

Is Sri Lankan Cricket Board profitable? Yes, Sri Lankan Cricket Board (SLCB) is profitable with a surplus of 2,478,605,198 SL Rupee ($6,8282,113) in 2021.

Based on Annual Reports & financial statements ending on 31 December 2021.

Highlights from the 2021 Annual Report

The distribution of SLCB’s revenue was as follows:

  • 44% International Cricket
  • 35% ICC Annual Distributions
  • 21% Other Income

Partners

  • Global Media Rights: Sony
  • National Team Sponsor: Dialog
  • Ground Rights: ITW Consulting
  • Production Services Partner: The IPG Group
  • Clothing Partners: MAS Holdings, LiCC Jeans, Namal Balachandra Private Limited
  • Drink Partners: RedBull, Cristal, myCola
  • Cricket Helmet Partner: Masuri
  • Local Radio Broadcaster: SLBC
  • Health Care Provider: Nawaloka Hospitals
  • ICC T20 World Cup Team Sponsors: Astro Pay
  • Jersey Branding Sponsors: Daraz Group
  • Other Sponsor: IFS, Kent RO

Sources: Annual-Report-2021.pdf (srilankacricket.lk)

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8. Pakistan Cricket Board – PCB ($27.6 Million)

  • Total Income: PKR Rs. 6,330,842,117 ($27, 665,780)
  • Total Expenses: PKR Rs. 7,086,927,287 ($31 Million)
  • Total Deficit: -PKR 756,085,170 (-$3.3 Million) (LOSS)

Is Pakistan Cricket Board profitable? No, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is not profitable with a deficit of PKR 756,085,170 (-$3.3 Million) in the 2020-21 season.

Based on Annual Reports & financial statements ending on 30 June 2021.

*PKR Rs. denotes Pakistan Rupees

Commercial Partners

  • Men’s team: Pepsi, TCL, Parkview City
  • Women’s team: Pepsi
  • Commercial Partner: Trans Group
  • Broadcast & Live Streaming Partner: Ary Zap, Willow, Sony, Etisalat, Fox Sports, Flow Sports, SkySport, Sky Sports, ICC TV, SuperSport
  • Pathway Cricket Programme: Engro Cricket Coaching Projecte

Sources: Financial Statements For the Year Ended June 30 2021.pdf (pcb.com.pk)

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7. Cricket West Indies – CWI ($28.1 Million)

  • Total Revenue: $28,134,000
  • Total Expenses: $38,196,000
  • Net Loss: -$10,279,000

Is the Cricket West Indies profitable? No, the Cricket West Indies Cricket Board (CWI) is not profitable with a net deficit of $10,279,000 in 2021.

Based on Annual General Meeting held on 12 March 2022, which summarized CWI’s financial statements from 2021.

Sponsors

  • Official Partners: CG United, Mastercard, Apex Group, Blue Waters, Castore, FanCraze
  • Technical Partners: Kookaburra, Masura, Phizzs

Source: CWI_2022_AnnualReport

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6. Bangladesh Cricket Board – BCB ($32 Million)

  • Total Revenue: BDT 332,82,58,604 ($31,668,380)
    • Total Revenue from media, team sponsors, and other rights: $8.9 Million
  • Net Surplus: BDT 52,91,34,026 ($5 Million)
  • Accumulated Fund: BDT 832,68,87,010 ($79.2 Million)

Is the Bangladesh Cricket Board profitable? Yes, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) was profitable in 2020 with a surplus of BDT 832,68,87,010 ($79.2 Million)

Based on Annual General Meeting 2021, which summarized CWI’s financial statements from 2020.

*BDT – Bangladesh Taka

Highlight from the 2017-2020 BCB Activity Report

“In the six years between 2011 and 2016 the Board had earned US $33.32 million in media, team sponsor, and other rights while in just three years from 2017 to 2020, the BCB’s earnings stood at approximately US $29 million from the same sources.”

Partners

  • Team Sponsor: Daraz
  • Media Right Holder: BanTech
  • ISP Partner: Aamra
  • Team Kits Partner: Hungry Naki
  • Hospitality Partner: Pan Pacific

Source: BCB-Activities-Report-2017-2020-2-page-view.pdf (tigercricket.com.bd)

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5. New Zealand Cricket – NZC ($42 Million)

  • Total Revenue: $66,401,000 NZD ($42, 217, 755.80 USD)
  • Total Expenditure: $46,496,000 NZD ($29,604,000 USD)
  • Total Surplus: $792,000 NZD ($504,000 USD)
  • Total Comprehensive Deficit (after Unrealized Loss and Valuation of Foreign Currency Hedging): – $6.7 Million NZD (- $4.26 Million USD) (LOSS)

Is New Zealand Cricket profitable? No, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) is not profitable with a net deficit of $ 6.7 Million NZD ($ 4.26 Million USD) in 2021.

Based on the 2021-22 Annual Report and corresponding financial statements for fiscal year ending on 31 July 2022.

Highlight from the 2021-22 Annual Report

  • ICC Women’s World Cup 2022 – Surplus of $2.6 Million NZD ($ 1.653 Million USD)
  • $1.8 Million NZD ($1.14 Million USD) provided to support NZC’s High Performance Center.

“Over 95% of all NZC revenue is derived from our teams’ participation in these FTP and ICC events…”

NZCB Commercial Partners

  • Official Broadcast Partner: SparkSport
  • International Broadcast Partner: Pitch
  • Major Bank & Official Bank: ANZ
  • Official Vehicle Provider: Ford
  • Official Hotel Supplier: Accor
  • Official Supplier: Air New Zealand
  • Official Clothing Sponsor: Canterbury of New Zealand
  • Official Sports Drink: Powerade
  • Official Sponsor of NZ Cricket Umpires: G.J. Gardner Homes
  • Official Car Rental Partner: Hertz
  • Partner of the BLACKCAPS and WHITE FERNS (3 -year Deal): KFC
  • Official Radio & Digital Partner: MediaWorks
  • Official Partners: Gillette, Les Mills, Dulux, Asahi Beverages NZ
  • Funding Partners: Sports NZ, New Zealand Community Trust, Perry Foundation, Southern Trust

Source: New Zealand Cricket Annual Report (21-22), Commercial Partners (nzc.nz)

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Also Read in the Cricket & Finances series:

  1. Top 10 Richest Cricket Leagues (By Average Salaries)
  2. How Much Do Different Types of Cricketers Earn Per Year (2022)? Salaries of Pujara, Stokes, Warner, Billings, Tim David Revealed!
  3. Salary of Cricketers (Men’s) from Each of the 12 Nations (2022)—The Complete Guide

4. Cricket South Africa ($46 Million)

  • Total Revenue: 778, 353,000 Rands ($45,767,156 USD)
  • Total Expenses: 995,624,000 Rands ($58,492,910 USD)
  • Total Comprehensive Loss: -197,874,000 Rands ($-11,625,097 USD) (LOSS)
  • End of Year Balance (After adding up previous years’ savings): 272 Million Rands ($16 Million)

Is Cricket South Africa profitable? No, Cricket South Africa was not profitable in 2021-22 with a net deficit of -197 Million South African Rands (loss of $11.625 Million US dollars).

Based on the 2021-22 Integrated Report and corresponding financial statements for fiscal year ending on 30 April 2022.

Highlights from the Integrated Report 2021-22

“The curtailment of the planned four T20 matches against India due to Covid-19 pandemic severely impacted CSA’s results, with a -R 250 Million (- $14.7 Million USD). This revenue loss was mitigated to a certain extent by committed cost reductions through all business areas, resulted in a reported loss of R198 Million ($11.6 Million USD).”

“CSA does not own cricket stadiums, so proceeds generated by these venues are shared, with CSA receiving 20% and stadium operators (CSA members) receiving 80%.”

Revenue Division

  • 53% Broadcast Rights: 413 Million SA Rands ($24 Million)
  • 33% ICC distribution: 256 Million SA Rands ($15 Million USD)
  • 4% Sponsorships (Professional), 2% Sponsorships (Amateur): 52 Million SA Rands ($3 Million USD)
  • 1% Government and Lotto Grants
  • 7% Other: 57 Million SA Rands ($3.35 Million USD)

CSA Commercial Partners

  • Team & Series Associate Sponsors: Momentum Health
  • Headline Event Sponsors: Betway, KFC
  • Official Sponsors: Castore, Betway, Castle
  • Official Suppliers: BitCo, Momentum Health, TicketPro, Kemach JCB, SpringBok Atlas, Sunfoil
  • Host Broadcaster: SuperSport
  • Free To Air Broadcaster: SABC Sport

Sources: Cricket South Africa | COMMERCIAL PARTNERS, Integrated-Report-2021-22.pdf (cricket.co.za)

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3. Cricket Australia ($270 Million)

  • Total Revenue: $391,004,000 AUD ($270,144,663)
  • Total Expenses: $283,429,000 AUD ($195,821,000)
  • Total Surplus: $10,665,000 AUD ($7, 368,448)

Is Cricket Australia profitable? Yes, Cricket Australia (CA) is profitable with a net surplus of $ 10.7 million AUD ($7.4 million USD) in 2021. Hence, Cricket Australia is on #3 in the richest cricket boards in the world.

Based on the 2021-22 Annual Report and Statement of Comprehensive Income for fiscal year ending on 30 June 2022.

Partners

  • Broadcast Partners: Fox Sports, Seven West Media, ABC Radio, Macquarie Radio Network, Sports Entertainment Network
  • International Broadcast Partners: Sony, Fox Sports Asia, beIN, BT Sport, Supersport, Kwese Sports, Sports Max, Flow Sports, Willow, ATN, SKY Network Television, National Broadcasting Corporation of Papua New Guinea
  • Commercial Partners: Alinta Energy, NRMA Insurance, Bundaberg Distilling Company & Bundaberg Ginger Beer, Kayo Sports, Asics, Dettol, Bet365, Commonwealth Bank, HCLTech, KFC, Qantas, Toyota, Woolworths, 4Pines, Nu-Pure, Marsh
  • Official Suppliers: Albion, Kookaburra, Masuri, MJ Bale
  • Approved Sports Betting Providers: bet365, BetDeluxe,l BlueBet, betfair, BudgetBet, Goldbet, Jimmy Bet, Ladbrakes, Marantelli Bet, Moneyball, PalmerBet, PickleBet, PlayUp, PointsBet, Punt123, PuntersPal, Real Bookie, Southern Cross BET, SportChamps, SportsBet, SWOP Stakes, Tab.com.au, Unibet, WinBet, Winners Bet, WishBET

Sources: Annual Report 2021/2022 – Cricket Australia (e-brochures.com.au)

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2. England & Wales Cricket Board – ECB ($368 Million)

  • Total Turnover: 302,504,000 Pounds ($367,784, 363 USD)
  • Gross Profit (after cost of sales): 226,171,000 Pounds ($274,978,701)
  • Administrative Expenses: 205,400,000 Pounds ($249,725,320)
  • Total Comprehensive Income: $20,751,000 Pounds ($25,229,066 USD)

Is the England & Wales Cricket Board profitable? Yes, England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is profitable. According to the 2021-22 Financial Statements, the ECB had a net surplus of $20.7 million pounds ($25.2 million US dollars). Hence, the ECB is the 2nd among the richest cricket boards on the planet.

Based on the 2021-22 Financial Statements for fiscal year ending on 31 January 2022.

Partners

  • Broadcast Partner: Sky Sports, BBC
  • Principal Partner: Cinch
  • Competition Partner: Vitality, LV= Insurance
  • Official Partners: IG, Ascent
  • Kit Partner: Castore
  • Official Hygiene Partner: Lifebuoy
  • Technology Partner: Microsoft
  • Sparkling Wine Partner: Chapel Down

Sources: Financial-Statements-202122-v3.pdf (ecb.co.uk), ECB.co.uk – About

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1. Board of Control for Cricket in India – BCCI ($2 Billion)

Fun fact, BCCI has not published its Annual Report since 2016-17. Hmm…I wonder why that is….

  • Total Income: INR 1112,55 Crore ($136,287,375)
  • Total Expenditure: INR 583.44 Crore ($71,471,400)
  • Surplus: INR 529.11 Crore ($64,815, 975)

Is the Board of Control for Cricket in India profitable? Yes, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is profitable with a net surplus of INR 529 Crore ($64.8 million US dollars). Furthermore, the profit has grown to an estimated $2 billion as of 2022.

Based on the 2016-17 Financial Statements for fiscal year ending on 31 March 2017.

Source: 1638362483_BCCI Annual Report 2016-17.pdf,

*INR – Indian Rupee

BCCI Estimated Profits 2017-2027

Although official documents were limited to 2017, we investigated further based on Twitter data and media reports from reputable sources. For example, the infographic by Forbes India shows the mammoth growth in BCCI’s net worth between 2014 & 2018. BCCI’s net worth is shown to be INR 11,916.8 crore ($1.224 billion US dollars).

Since then, BCCI’s rise has been exponential. Here are some of the highlights of major rights and sponsorships, including the mammoth $6.2 billion IPL media rights between 2023-2027.

BCCI Revenue Distribution, Rights, & Sponsorship Deals (2016-23)

  • ICC Revenue (2016-23): $405 Million (About $50 Million per year)
  • Media Rights (2018-22): INR 16,347.5 Crore ($2.55 Billion)
  • Media Rights (2023-27): INR 48,390.5 Crore ($6.20 Billion), which is about 9,678.1 Crore ($1.24 Billion) per year
    • Split 50% with the 8 IPL franchises
  • BYJU Extension (till November 2023): INR 280-300 Crore ($35 Million)
  • PayTM Deal (2019-23): INR 326.8 Crore ($40 Million)
    • PayTM will be replaced by Mastercard for the next cycle
  • Dream XI Deal (2019-23): INR 222 Crore ($27 Million)
    • This deal was done on a year by year basis. The above amount is from the 2020 negotiations
  • Hyundai Deal (2016-19): INR 150 Crore ($18.375 Million)

In conclusion, about $1.24 billion revenue will be achieved annually by the IPL media right alone. The ICC revenue and all of the other sponsorships will make up another billion (and will change everywhere as the negotiations with each sponsor changes). The BCCI is easily #1 on the list of the world’s richest cricket boards.

*Note: The estimated Revenue for ICC’s broadcasting income from the 2023 ODI World Cup is about $533.29 Million, from which $58.23-116.47 million is expected to be taxed by the Indian government.

Partners

India’s sponsors and partners are as follows:

  • Team Sponsor: BYJU’S: The Learning App
  • Official Broadcaster: Star Sports ($944 Million)
  • Title Sponsor: Mastercard
  • Official Partners: Dream11, Hyundai, Ambuja Cement, Killer Jeans (Kewal Kiran Clothing)

Sources:, Star India buys Indian cricket rights for USD 944 million (espncricinfo.com), IPL media rights – Disney Star and Viacom 18 share the spoils in 6 billion-dollar-plus IPL rights deal (espncricinfo.com), Paytm back out of BCCI deal, Mastercard to step up | Cricket – Hindustan Times, Dream 11 as title sponsor of IPL 2021 and 2022? BCCI negotiating bigger deal (dnaindia.com)

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Conclusion—Where Does Cricket Go From Here

The only profitable cricket boards are the BCCI, ECB, CA, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), and Sri Lankan Cricket Board (SLCB).

This is the concerning aspect. If the national body is not profitable, they have to cut back on salaries, systems, and leagues. This is exactly why South Africa are hoping that the SA20 league generates so much revenue that the surplus can raise players’ salaries and keep them in the domestic circuit.

How Do Cricket Boards Earn Money?

Cricket boards earn money in a variety of ways—ICC revenue, media rights, sponsorships, ticket sales, etc. Here is a visual from ESPNCricinfo illustrating the 2016-2023 revenue distribution from the ICC to the top cricketing nations.

BCCI's income from ICC Revenue.

Source: BCCI, ICC broker peace over financial model (espncricinfo.com)

Richest Cricket Boards – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Which is the richest cricket board in the world?

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is the richest cricket board in the world, valued at about $2 Billion a year.

2. How much money does South African cricket lose per year?

Cricket South Africa (CSA) lost about $11.6 Million in 2021.

3. How much money does New Zealand cricket lose per year?

New Zealand Cricket Board lost about $4.26 Million in 2021.

4. What is BCCI’s Net Worth?

BCCI’s net worth is about $2 billion dollars.

5. How much does Cricket Australia earn in revenue per year?

Cricket Australia earned about $270 Million in 2021.

6. What is ECB’s Net Worth?

England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) earned about $368 Millon in revenue in 2021.

Who are the Top 5 richest cricket boards?

BCCI ($2 Billion), ECB ($368 Million), CA ($270 Million), CSA ($6 Million), and NZ ($42 Million) are the Top 5 richest cricket boards. Collage of the World's Richest Cricket Boards Pictured are teams celebrating in a huddle as follows: From left to right (top): South Africa, India, England, New Zealand, Zimbabwe From left to right (bottom): Pakistan, Australia, West Indies

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, 2023. Originally published on 01/10/2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Broken Cricket Dreams with appropriate and specific direction to the original content (i.e. linked to the exact post/article).

Top 10 Richest Cricket Leagues (By Average Salaries). Which Cricket League Pays the Most (2022)—SA20, IPL, BBL, PSL, UAE IL, CPL, T10s, or the Hundred?

The SA20 Auction caught everyone’s attention this week, which leads to the logical question, “What are the Richest Cricket Leagues, and where does SA20 league rank?” Here is a quick answer.

The Indian Premier League is the richest cricket league in the world. As per the 2022 Mega Auction & Retention, the IPL paid its players a whopping $116,339,000 combined for its 234 players who play for their ten franchise teams in a three-month season. The upcoming UAE International T20 & SA20 rank behind at #2 & #3 in terms of player salaries, while the Abu Dhabi T10 League is at #10 with a $2,500,000 combined salary for about 100 players.

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Times are changing, T20 cricket is becoming infused with money, and different leagues are popping left and right. The SA20 Auction threw Tristan Stubbs and co into stardom, the UAE international T20 League will be a game changer, and the Big Bash is trying to attract overseas talent in their much-hyped Draft while keeping domestic stars like David Warner.

Richest Cricket Leagues (Lowest to Highest)

Players now have choices, but maybe too many choices. As many as six leagues are scheduled between November & February. That is a daunting stat.

So, in Part III of our new series, Cricket & Finances, we try to help these players out & distinguish which leagues pay their players the most. We also cover the minimum salaries, average wages, total team salary cap, number of players a league can take, and the window it occupies in the cricket calendar.

Make Sure to Read the Earlier Content on Cricket & Finances

  1. Part I: How Much Do Different Types of Cricketers Earn Per Year (2022)? Salaries of Pujara, Stokes, Warner, Billings, Tim David Revealed!
  2. Part II: Salary of Cricketers (Men’s) from Each of the 12 Cricket Boards (2022)—The Complete Guide
  3. Part III: Richest Cricket Boards
  4. The Need for Champions League & a T20 League Calendar

How The Overall Cost Was Calculated: For leagues where all the information is public (like IPL auction player by player cost), each player’s cost was added for the total. For leagues where only partial information was available, the franchise’s maximum purse/salary cap was multiplied by the number of teams in that particular league.

*Note: This article covers individual player salaries, not tournament prize money.

10. Abu Dhabi T10 League ($2,500,000)

  • Abu Dhabi T10 League Average Cricketer Salary: $25,000
  • Minimum Wage: $5,000
  • Maximum Amounts: $50,000-$100,000

*$50,000 is the minimum amount paid for the highest category of player in the draft. However, to attract certain cricketers, the actual amounts may be higher.

Calendar Window: November-December

Salary Cap Estimate (Per Team): $400,000-$600,000

  • Number of Teams: 6
  • Total Players: 100-110 (16-18 players per team)
Photo of Abu Dhabi T10 League champions.

9. Lanka Premier League ($3,000,000)

  • Lanka Premier League (LPL) Average Cricketer Salary: $30,000
  • Minimum Wage: $10,000
  • Maximum Amounts: $60,000

Calendar Window: December

Salary Cap Estimate (Per Team): $400,000-$600,000

  • Number of Teams: 5
  • Total Players: 100 (20 per team)
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8. Caribbean Premier League ($4,500,000)

  • Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Average Cricketer Salary: $50,000
  • Minimum Wage: $3,000
  • Maximum Amounts: $160,000

Calendar Window: August-September

Salary Cap Estimate (Per Team): $750,000

  • Number of Teams: 6
  • Total Players: 90 (15 per team)

*Note, in the 2020 season post-COVID, players took a 30% pay-cut.

Source: CPL confirms Trinidad & Tobago plans, will ask players to take pay cuts (espncricinfo.com)

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7. Bangladesh Premier League ($4,800,000)

  • Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Average Cricketer Salary: $40,000
  • Minimum Wage: $5,555
  • Maximum Amounts: $77,000

Calendar Window: January-February

Salary Cap Estimate (Per Team): $700.000-$800,000

  • Number of Teams: 6
  • Total Players: 110-120 (18-20 per team)

*The BPL have suffered due to payments and franchise trouble in the last couple of years. In the earlier years, the BPL paid its foreign players up to $200,000 making it more lucrative than even the BBL. Now, the board has taken over the league instead of franchises.

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6. Pakistan Super League ($5,700,000)

  • Pakistan Super League (PSL) Average Cricketer Salary: $53,000
  • Minimum Wage: $5,000
  • Maximum Amounts: $170,000

Calendar Window: February-March

Salary Cap Estimate (Per Team): $950,000

  • Number of Teams: 6
  • Total Players: 108 (18 per team)

Ramiz Raza has proposed changing the current drafts system (Platinum, Diamond, Gold, Silver, Emerging categories) to the auction format and increase the salary cap from $950,000 to $1.5 million. Watch out for the PSL. This is a fast-rising league and will survive.

Source: Pakistan Super League – PSL 2023 to start on February 9, final on March 19 (espncricinfo.com)

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5. The Hundred ($9,000,000)

  • The Hundred (Men’s) Average Cricketer Salary: $75,000
  • Minimum Wage: $33,000 (30,000 Pounds)
  • Maximum Amounts: $150,000 (135,000 Pounds)

Calendar Window: August

Salary Cap Estimate (Per Team): $1,125,000 (1 Million Pounds)

  • Number of Teams: 8
  • Total Players: 120 (15 per team)

*Note that England also has the T20 Blast as a domestic T20 competition, it is not a franchise T20 league.

Source: The Hundred 2022 – England stars to receive Hundred salary boost for 2022 tournament (espncricinfo.com)

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4. Big Bash League T20 ($10,000,000)

  • Big Bash League (BBL) Average Cricketer Salary: $75,000
  • Minimum Wage: $27,000 (AUD 42,000)
  • Maximum Amounts: $ 225,000 (AUD 340,000) – overseas BBL Draft, $133,000 (AUD 200,000) – Australian players

Calendar Window: December-February

Salary Cap Estimate (Per Team): $1,250,000 (AUD 1,900,000)

  • Number of Teams: 8
  • Total Players: 144 (18 per team)

*Replacement Cap: $33,000 (AUD 50,000) outside of salary cap

For the upcoming BBL draft, the categories are as follows:

  • Platinum: $ 225,000 (AUD 340,000)
  • Gold: $175,000 (AUD 260,000)
  • Bronze: $66,000 (AUD 100,000)

Sources: David Warner’s BBL return confirmed with two-year Sydney Thunder deal (espncricinfo.com); The BBL overseas draft is here: how will it work, how much can players earn and can star players be retained? (espncricinfo.com)

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3. SA 20 League ($13,421,200)

  • South Africa T20 League (SA20) Average Cricketer Salary: $133,000
  • Minimum Wage: $10,000
  • Maximum Amounts: $519,000

Calendar Window: January-February

Salary Cap Estimate (Per Team): $ 2,000,000

  • Number of Teams: 6
  • Total Players: 101 (16-17 per team)

Overall, 101 players were sold via auction and pre-auction signings. In particular, the prices were

  • Average Auction Price: $89,000 (80 Players)
  • Estimated Pre-Auction Signing: $300,000 (21 Players)

This may the best attempt towards a South African T20 league.

Source: Jos Buttler, Liam Livingstone sign up for CSA’s new T20 league as competition for players intensifies (espncricinfo.com)

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2. UAE International T20 League ($15,000,000)

  • UAE International League T20 (ILT20) Average Cricketer Salary: $138,889
  • Minimum Wage: $10,000
  • Maximum Amounts: $450,000 ($340,000 + $110,000 max in loyalty bonuses)

Calendar Window: January-February

Salary Cap Estimate (Per Team): $2.5 Million ($1.5 million – minimum wage bill, $500,000 – signing/loyalty optional bonus, $500,000 – bid purse)

  • Number of Teams: 6
  • Total Players: 108 (18 per team)

Source: UAE T20 league sets USD 450000 annual contract for top players (espncricinfo.com)

Photo of Gujarat Titans lifting the IPL 2022 Trophy and celebrating (Players include Rashid Khan, Shubman Gill, Varun Aaron, Mohammad Shami, etc.)

1. Indian Premier League ($116,339,000)

  • Indian Premier League (IPL) Average Cricketer Salary: $497,175
  • Minimum Wage: $26,000
  • Maximum Amounts: $2,133,000

Calendar Window: March-June

Salary Cap Estimate (Per Team): $11 Million (Rs. 90 crore)

  • Number of Teams: 10
  • Total Players: 234 (20-30 Per Team)

The mind-numbing thing to think about is that each IPL franchise has a larger salary cap space & auction purse is more than most other cricket leagues. Here are the details from the IPL 2022 Mega Auction.

IPL 2022 Mega Auction (Average Cricketer Salary)

Royal Challengers Bangalore ($11, 785,000)

  • Auction: $ 7,386,000 ($388, 737 Average)
  • Retention: $ 4,399,000 ($1,466,333 Average)

Kolkata Knight Riders ($10,582,000)

  • Auction: $6,050,000 ($318, 421 Average)
  • Retention: $4,532,000 ($1,133,000 Average)

Punjab Kings ($11,198,000)

  • Auction: $9,065,000 ($412,045 Average)
  • Retention: $2,133,000 ($1,066,500 Average)

Chennai Super Kings ($11,596,000)

  • Auction: $5,997,000 ($285,571)
  • Retention: $5,599,000 ($1,399750)

Delhi Capitals ($11,508,000)

  • Auction: $6,309,000 ($315,350 Average)
  • Retention: $5,199,000 ($1,299,750 Average)

Rajasthan Royals ($11,862,000)

  • Auction: $8,130,000 ($ 387,143 Average)
  • Retention: $3,732,000 ($1,244,000 Average)

Mumbai Indians ($11, 977,000)

  • Auction: $ 6,378,000 ($303,714 Average)
  • Retention: $ 5,599,000 ($1,399,750 Average

Sunrisers Hyderabad ($11,977,000)

  • Auction: $ 9,045,000 ($452,250 Average)
  • Retention: $ 2,932,000 ($977,333.3 Average)

Lucknow Super Giants ($11,883,000)

  • Auction: $ 7,858,000 ($436,556)
  • Retention: $ 4,025,000 ($1,341,667)

Gujarat Titans ($11,971,000)

  • Auction: $ 6,905,000 ($345,250)
  • Retention: $5,066,000 ($1, 688, 667)

Final Thoughts: The IPL is now having considerable influence in T20 leagues around the world. The same business groups are now buying stakes in foreign franchise leagues. This includes teams like Trinbago Knight Riders, MI Cape Town, MI Emirates, Dubai Capitals, etc.

Which are the Richest Cricket Leagues in the World?

Which is the richest cricket league in the world?

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is the richest cricket league in the world with an average player salary of $497,175.

What are the Top 5 richest cricket leagues in the world?

The Top 5 richest cricket leagues in the world (by average player salary) are the Indian Premier League (IPL), UAE International T20 League, SA T20 League, the Big Bash, and the Hundred.

How much money does each T20 league give their players?

T20 leagues contribute the following amount to their cricketers combined:
1. Indian Premier League ($116, 339,000)
2. UAE International T20 ($15,000,000)
3. SA T20 League ($13, 421, 200)
4. Big Bash League ($10,000,000)
5. The Hundred ($9,000,000)
6. Pakistan Super League ($5,700,000)
7. Bangladesh Premier League ($4,800,000)
8. Caribbean Premier League ($4,500,000)
9. Lanka Premier League ($3,000,000)
10. Abu Dhabi T10 League ($2,500,000)
All prices above in $US Dollars.

How much money can a cricketer earn from each T20 league?

Average cricketer salaries per T20 league is as follows:
1. Indian Premier League ($497,175)
2. UAE International T20 ($138,889)
3. SA T20 League ($133,000)
4. Big Bash League ($75,000)
5. The Hundred ($75,000)
6. Pakistan Super League ($53,000)
7. Caribbean Premier League ($50,000)
8. Bangladesh Premier League ($40,000)
9. Lanka Premier League ($30,000)
10. Abu Dhabi T10 League ($25,000)
All prices above in $US Dollars.

Source: IPL Auction 2022 – Live Updates | ESPNcricinfo

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, 2021. Originally published on 09/22/2022. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Broken Cricket Dreams with appropriate and specific direction to the original content (i.e. linked to the exact post/article).

Salary of Cricketers (Men’s) from Each of the 12 Nations (2022)—The Complete Guide

Today we rank the salary of cricketers (men) from each Test playing nation.

Trent Boult’s shock yet understandable decision to leave the New Zealand contract has put the cricket world into frenzy. This begs the question of how much do cricketers from each country earn from a national contract.

The salary of cricketers in Australia from central contracts and match fees is the most lucrative between $362,500-1.75 million with England & India close behind with salary up to $1.5 million & 1.295 million respectively. Afghanistan, $20,000-40,000 and Zimbabwe at $4,000-90,000 rank at the bottom of the spectrum. New Zealand, South Africa, and West Indies players earn somewhere in the middle, which is why several of them have to go to England, Australia, and India to ply their trade to earn a bit more.

We present a complete breakdown of the earnings and rank each nation’s central contract strength from lowest to highest.

This is Part II of our new series, Cricket & Finances. Here is the article from Part I of the series, How Much Do Different Types of Cricketers Earn Per Year (2022)? Salaries of Pujara, Stokes, Warner, Billings, Tim David Revealed! You don’t want to miss this one out!

Salary of Cricketers from Each Nation – The Complete List (Lowest to Highest)

For the sake of this analysis, we will only consider the 12 Test playing nations.

How Did We Calculate the Estimated Salary Ranges?

We have done a bit of research based on annual reports, press releases, and trusted sources from each national board. We arrived at estimates for player salaries based on retainer central contracts and match fees. Brand endorsements, sponsorships, team/board bonuses, and match awards are not taken into consideration.

All of our sources are listed below each nation’s analysis for your reference.

General Source (for highest paid in 2017): Cricket Monthly (ESPN Cricinfo)

12. Afghanistan Cricketer Salary: $20,000-40,000

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Afghanistan Cricket National Contract Estimated Salary

Estimated Salary Range: $20,000-$40,000 (which may vary depending on the contract grade)

Afghanistan Cricket Board Annual Report Analysis

Since data is not widely available on Afghanistan central contracts, we make an educated estimate based on their annual report. As per ACB’s 2020 Annual report, the ACB had a revenue of $7.15 million and expenses around $6.76 million (images attached below). From the expenses, $1.71 million was administrative cost, while $5.05 million was technical cost.

Around $1.937 million was spent on international cricket, $1.44 million accrual of 2020 (or prior) overall, and $ 883,000 was spent on HR activities. Although it is not stated what portion of this money was allocated for player salaries, we can estimate that around $1 million were spent on salaries of players, coaches, support staff, etc. Currently, there are 34 centrally contracted players (listed below). Hence, we came up with the above estimate for the Afghanistan cricketer salary.

List of Afghanistan Centrally Contracted Cricketers

  • Grade A: Rashid Khan, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi
  • Grade B: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rahmat Shah, Naveen Ul Haq, Gulbadin Naib, Hazratullah Zazai
  • Grade C: Samiullah Shinwari, Usman Ghani, Mohammad Javed Ahmadi, Amir Hamza, Ikram Alikhil, Ibrahim Zadran, Noor Ali Zadran, Ihsanullah Janat, Nasir Jamal, Qais Ahamd, Shapoor Zadran, Sayed Ahmad, Mohammad Yamin Ahmadzai, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Zahir Khan, Fareed Ahmad, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Afsar Khan, Karim Janat, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Hamid Hassan
  • Grade D: Mohammad Shahzad, Mirwais Ashraf, Aftab Alam, Wafadar Momand, Dawlat Zadran

Match fees information is not available for Afghanistan cricket.

*Note: The annual report is from 2020, prior to the Taliban takeover. No official data is available since the political situation changed in Afghanistan. For example, 25 centrally contracted women’s cricketers were added in 2020 and several development programs started. This is, most likely, no longer the case.

Sources: Contract List, Annual Report, Etisalat Signs up as Official SPL Sponsor

11. Zimbabwe Cricketer Salary: $44,000-90,000

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Estimated Salary Range: $44,000-$90,000

According to Zimbabwe’s 2020-21 Annual Report, they had allocated $659,827 for statutory obligations and salaries, $788,891 for salaries in domestic cricket, and $1,620,326 for HR-related activities in international cricket.

Zimbabwe Cricket National Contract

Based on Cricket Monthly, in 2017 Zimbabwe’s players earned:

  • Top Tier: $66,000
  • Middle Tier: $48,000
  • Bottom Tier: $36,000

What Are Match Fees for Zimbabwean Cricketers?

  • Test: $2,000
  • ODI: $1,000
  • T20I: $500

Estimated Match Fees: Between November 2021 and October 2022 (between the two consecutive T20 World Cups), Zimbabwe played a total of 15 ODIs ($15,000), and 16 T20Is ($8,000).

Zimbabwe cricket has faced lots of contract negotiation issues over the years, but it seems like not much as changed since 2013. In 2013, ESPNCricinfo reported Zimbabwean domestic cricketer’s salary as follows:

  • Grade X: $60,000
  • Grade A: $42,000
  • Grade B: $24,000
  • Grade C: $18,000
  • Rookie: $3,600

Zimbabwe Cricket Highest Paid (2017)

Graeme Cremer was the highest earned Zimbabwe cricketer (from central contracts & match fees only), estimated around $90,000.

Sources: Herald, Cricinfo 2013, Annual Report, Nineteen Zimbabwe women offered central contracts for 2022-23 (espncricinfo.com)

10. Ireland Cricketer Salary: $90,000-100,000

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Estimated Average Salary: $94,800

Ireland Cricket National Contract

  • Central Contract: $75,000

According to Ireland’s 2019 Directors’ Report and Financial Statements, the wages and salaries amounted to $3.7 million (3,690,196 euros), from which $1.57 million (1,557,584 euros) was allocated for high performance player contracts & match fees distributed among 25 centrally contracted players.

What Are Match Fees for South African Cricketers?

  • ODI: $1,100
  • T20I: $450

Estimated Match Fees: Between November 2021 and October 2022 (between the two consecutive T20 World Cups), South Africa played a total of 9 ODIs ($9,900), and 22 T20Is ($9,900).

A player who played all three formats in this time period would have earned $19,800 in match fees alone.

List of Centrally Contracted Ireland Cricketers 2022-23

  • 2-year Contracts: Mark Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, Josh Little, Andy McBrine, Neil Rock, Simi Singh, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Craig Young
  • 1-Year Contract: Peter Chase, George Dockrell, Shane Getkate, Barry McCarthy, James McCollum, Ben White, William Porterfield (now retired)

Sources: Cricket Ireland offers 12 two-year central contracts as part of improved men’s contract system (cricketworld.com)

9. Bangladesh Cricketer Salary: $55,000-212,000

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Maximum Possible Salary: $211,950 (Top Tier Contract + 3-format Maximum Match Fees)

Minimum Possible Salary: $54,950 (Bottom Tier Contract + T20Is only)

Bangladesh Cricket National Contract

  • Top Tier: $60,000
  • Mid-Tier: $30,000
  • Bottom Tier: $15,000

What Are Match Fees for Bangladesh Cricketers?

  • Test: $7,000 (600,000 BDT)
  • ODI: $3,500 (300,000 BDT)
  • T20I: $2,350 (200,000 BDT)

Estimated Match Fees: Between November 2021 and October 2022 (between the two consecutive T20 World Cups), Bangladesh played a total of 10 Tests ($70,000), 12 ODIs ($42,000), and 17 T20Is ($39,950).

A player who played all three formats in this time period would have earned $151,950 in match fees alone

List of Bangladesh Centrally Contracted Cricketers 2022-23

  • All-format: Shakib Al Hasan, Liton Das, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam
  • Tests and ODIs: Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hasan
  • Tests Only: Mominul Haque, Ebadot Hossain, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shadman Islam, Yasir Ali, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Taijul Islam
  • ODIs and T20Is only: Mahmudullah, Mustafizur Rahman, Afif Hossain

Bangladesh Cricket Highest Paid (2017)

Shakib Al Hasan was the highest earned Bangladesh cricketer (from central contracts & match fees only), estimated around $140,000.

Sources: Shakib Al Hasan among five Bangladesh players offered all-format central contracts (espncricinfo.com), ESPNCricinfo, BCB Guidelines

8. Pakistan Cricketer Salary: $72,000-280,000

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Estimated Average Range: $72,300145,350 (with some players with higher salaries due to negotiations)

Pakistan Cricket National Contract

  • Top Tier – Red Ball: $56,400 (12,600,000 PKR)
  • Top Tier – White Ball: $51,600 (11,400,000 PKR)

What Are Match Fees for Pakistani Cricketers?

  • Test: $3,800 (838, 530 PKR)
  • ODI: $2,300 (515,696 PKR)
  • T20I: $1,735 (372,075 PKR)

Estimated Match Fees: Between November 2021 and October 2022 (between the two consecutive T20 World Cups), Pakistan played a total of 7 Tests ($26,600), 9 ODIs ($20,700), and 24 T20Is ($41,640).

A player who played all three formats in this time period would have earned $88,940 in match fees alone.

Pakistan Cricket Highest Paid (2017)

In 2017, Sarfaraz Ahmed was the highest earned Bangladesh cricketer (from central contracts & match fees only), estimated around $270,000.

Sources: Pakistan’s leading players agree to amended central contracts (espncricinfo.com), GeoTV, ESPN Cricinfo, ICC, Hindustan Times

7. Sri Lanka Cricketer Salary: $65,000-351,000

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Maximum Possible Salary: $351,000 (A1 Contract + 3-format Maximum Fees)

Minimum Possible Salary: $65,000 (D3 Contract + ODI Player Only)

Sri Lanka Cricket National Contract and Player List

  • A1: $100,000 (Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella)
  • A2: $80,000 (Angelo Mathews, Kusal Perera)
  • A3: $70,000 (Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis)
  • B1: $65,000 (Dasun Shanaka, Suranga Lakmal (now retired))
  • B2: $60,000 (Lasith Embuldeniya, Wanindu Hasaranga)
  • B3: $55,000 (Lahiru Thirimanne, Pathum Nissanka)
  • C1: $50,000 (Kasun Rajitha, Dushmantha Chameera)
  • C2: $45,000 (Dinesh Chandimal, Lakshan Sandakan)
  • C3: $40,000 (Vishwa Fernando, Isuru Udana (now retired)
  • D1: $35,000 (Oshada Fernano, Ramesh Mendis)
  • D2: $30,000 (Danushka Gunathilaka, Lahiru Kumara)
  • D3: $25,000 (Akila Dananjaya, Ashen Bandara)

*there are additional bonuses for team victories against top opponents ($150,000 for series victory vs #1 team, $125, 000 vs #2 team, etc. till $30,000 bonus for series win vs #7 team)

What Are Match Fees for Sri Lankan Cricketers?

  • Test: $7,500
  • ODI: $5,000
  • T20I: $4,000

Estimated Match Fees: Between November 2021 and October 2022 (between the two consecutive T20 World Cups), Sri Lanka played a total of 10 Tests ($75,000), 8 ODIs ($40,000), and 17 T20Is ($136,000).

A player who played all three formats in this time period would have earned $251,000 in match fees alone.

Sri Lanka Cricket Highest Paid (2017)

Angelo Matthews was the highest earned Sri Lankan cricketer (from central contracts & match fees only), estimated around $320,000.

Sources: Cricinfo

6. South Africa Cricketer Salary: $70,000-468,000

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Maximum Possible Salary: $468,793 (Top Tier contract + All 3-format Maximum Match Fees)

Estimated Average Salary Range: $68,000-$185,000 (1.1-3 million South African Rands)

South African Cricket National Contract

  • Top Tier: $363,000
  • Medium Tier: $221,000
  • Bottom Tier: $145,000

What Are Match Fees for South African Cricketers?

  • Test: $6,925
  • ODI: $1,900
  • T20I: $911

Estimated Match Fees: Between November 2021 and October 2022 (between the two consecutive T20 World Cups), South Africa played a total of 10 Tests ($69,250), 13 ODIs ($24,700), and 13 T20Is ($11,843).

A player who played all three formats in this time period would have earned $105,793 in match fees alone.

South African Cricket Highest Paid (2017)

Faf Du Plessis was the highest earned South African cricketer (from central contracts & match fees only), estimated around $440,000.

List of Centrally Contracted South African Players 2022-23

Temba Bavuma, Dean Elgar, Quinton de Kock, Beuran Hendricks, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen

“The cricketers are in South Africa’s highest tax-paying band, 45% and 45% of a million US dollars is a lot more than 45% of a million Rand. So if money is what matters, then it all adds up.”

– Firdose Moonda, Cricinfo

Source: Cricinfo

Also Read:

  1. Part I – How Much Do Different Types of Cricket Players Earn
  2. Part III – Richest Cricket Leagues
  3. Part IV – Richest Cricket Boards

5. West Indies Cricketer Salary: $140,000-300,000

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Maximum Possible Salary: $266,720 (Top Tier + All 3-format Maximum Match Fee)

Minimum Possible Salary: $140,250 (Bottom Tier Contract + Tests only)

Average Salary: $236,726.43

West Indies Cricket National Contract (2017)

  • Top Tier: $140,000
  • Mid Tier: $120,000
  • Bottom Tier: $100,000

According to CWI’s 2021 Financial Statements, overall international retainers added to $2,248,583 and match fees amounted to $3,454,310. Including captain’s allowances, players insurance, injury payments, incentives, franchise retainers, etc., the total payment to players totaled a whopping $8,758,878.

Overall, WI have 18 contracted players for the men’s team & 19 for the women’s respectively. Assuming the men & women early equally, on average retainer + match fee is about $236,726.43 per West Indian cricketer.

What Are Match Fees for West Indian Cricketers?

  • Test: $5,750
  • ODI: $2,300
  • T20I: $1,735

Estimated Match Fees: Between November 2021 and October 2022 (between the two consecutive T20 World Cups), West Indies played a total of 7 Tests ($40,250), 21 ODIs ($48,300), and 24 T20Is ($41,640).

A player who played all three formats in this time period would have earned $130,190 in match fees alone.

West Indies Cricket Contracted Players List 2021-22

  • All-Format Contract: Jason Holder
  • Red Ball Only: Kraigg Brathwaite, Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Kyle Mayers, Kemar Roach
  • White Ball Only: Fabien Allen, Darren Bravo, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Evin Lewis, Alzarri Joseph, Nicholas Pooran, Hayden Walsh Jr.
  • Brandon King, Obed McCoy, Rovman Powell, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith have been added for the 2022-23 contract list

*An interesting note in CWI’s statement: ‘A number of players were not retained because they did not meet the minimum requirements.’

West Indies Cricket Highest Paid (2017)

Jason Holder was the highest earned West Indian cricketer (from central contracts & match fees only), estimated around $270,000.

Sources: Cricinfo – Match Fees, West Indies Board, Cricinfo

4. New Zealand Cricketer Salary: $258,000-500,000

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Maximum Possible Earnings: $450,000 (highest retainer + 3-format max match fees)

Minimum Possible Earnings: $258,498 (lowest retainer + T20I match fees only)

New Zealand Cricket National Contract 2022

  • Retainer: $236,000-$336,000 USD ($367,196-$523,396 NZD)

New Zealand Cricket Match Fees (Per Match)

  • Tests: $6,600 USD ($10,250 NZD)
  • ODIs: $2,500 USD ($4,000 NZD)
  • T20Is: $1,607 USD ($2,500 NZD)

Estimated Match Fees: Between November 2021 and October 2022 (between the two consecutive T20 World Cups), New Zealand played a total of 9 Test matches ($59,400), 13 ODIs ($32,500), and 14 T20Is ($22,498).

A New Zealander men’s cricketer playing all three formats would have earned up to $114,398 in match fees in the 2021-22 season. Hence, Trent Boult is trying to make the most of this match fee while giving up his $300,000+ retainer.

New Zealand Cricket Highest Paid (2018)

Kane Williamson was the highest earned New Zealand cricketer (from central contracts & match fees only), estimated around $289,000.

New Zealand Cricket Contract List 2022-23

Tom Blundell, Trent Boult, Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway, Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Kane Williamson, Will Young

Source: Stuff.co.nz Press Release, ICC, Stuff.Co.Nz – Women’s Cricket Salary Doubles

3. India Cricketer Salary: $191,000-1.3 Million

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Indian Cricket National Contract Retainer Fee and Players 2022-23

Maximum Possible Earnings: $1,295,302 (Grade A+ Contract + Maximum fees for a 3-format player who plays in the XI)

Minimum Possible Earnings: $191, 235 (Grade C Contract + Minimum Fees for 1-format player who is on the sidelines in every game)

  • Grade A+: Rs. 7 Crores ($877,800)
    • Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah
  • Grade A: Rs. 5 Crores ($627,000)
    • Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, KL Rahul, Mohammad Shami, Rishabh Pant
  • Grade B: Rs. 3 Crores ($376,200)
    • Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Shreyas Iyer, Mohammad Siraj, Ishant Sharma
  • Grade C: Rs. 1 Crore ($125,400)
    • Shikhar Dhawan, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Deepak Chahar, Shubman Gill, Hanuma Vihari, Yuzvendra Chahal, Suryakumar Yadav, Wriddhiman Saha, Mayank Agarwal

What are Match Fees for Indian Cricketers?

For a player in the XI for these formats, an Indian player earns

  • Test: Rs. 15 Lakh ($18,800)
  • ODI: Rs. 6 Lakh ($7,524)
  • T20I: Rs. 3 Lakh ($3,762)

*However, the fee is deducted 50% if the player is in the squad but not playing in the XI. The corresponding figures are $9,400 (Tests), $3,762 (ODIs), and $1,881 (T20Is).

Estimated Match Fees: Between November 2021 and October 2022 (between the two consecutive T20 World Cups), India played a total of 8 Test matches ($150,400), 18 ODIs ($135,432), and 35 T20Is ($131,670).

For someone who played all three formats and every game in this time period, that player had the potential to earn up to $417,502 in match fees on top of their annual contract.

Indian Cricket Highest Paid (2017)

Virat Kohli was the highest earned Indian cricketer (from central contracts & match fees only), estimated around $1,000,000.

Sources: BCCI Player List, ICC Report 2021, ESPNCricinfo Match Fees, NDTV – 2022 Contract Report

2. England Cricketer Salary: $350,000-1.5 Million

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Maximum Possible Earnings: $1.51 million (Full Contract + Maximum Fees for 3-format player)

Minimum Possible Earnings: $349,500 (White Ball Only + 1-format ODI player only)

England Cricket Central Contracts

  • Full Contract (Max): $1.125 million (925,000 pounds)

*Between 2016-2021, contracts were separated based on formats (figures below) but now are divided between central contracts, increment contracts, and pace bowling development contracts.

  • Red Ball Only: $790,000 (650,000 pounds)
  • White Ball Only: $300,000-365,000 (250,000-300,000 pounds)

What Are Match Fees for England Cricketers?

  • Tests: $17,600 (14,500 pounds)
  • White Ball: $5,500 (4,500 pounds)

Estimated Match Fees: Between November 2021 and October 2022 (between the two consecutive T20 World Cups), England played a total of 15 Tests ($264,000), 9 ODIs ($49,500), and 13 T20Is ($71,500).

For someone who played all three formats and every game in this time period, that player had the potential to earn up to $385,000 in match fees on top of their annual contract.

England Cricket Highest Paid (2017)

Joe Root was the highest-paid cricketer from England (from central contracts & match fees only), estimated around $1,380,000.

England Cricket Contract List 2022-23

  • Full Contract: Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jofra Archer, Jonathan Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Jack Leach, Dawid Malan, Eoin Morgan, Ollie Pope, Adil Rashid, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
  • Increment Contracts: Dom Bess, Tom Curran, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone
  • Pace bowling development contracts: Saqib Mahmood, Craig Overton, Olly Stone

Sources: The Cricketer, ECB Financial Statements & Annual Reports

1. Australia Cricketer Salary: $362,500-1.75 Million

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Maximum Salary Estimate: $1.75 million (Negotiated Contract + All 3-formats Maximum Match Fees)

Minimum Salary Estimate: $362,500 (Minimum Contract + Home Test matches only)

Australia Cricket National Contract

  • Minimum Contract: $300,000
  • Average Contract: $800,000

It is reported that players like David Warner and other prominent Australian cricketers may earn upwards of $1.5 million based on the final negotiations.

What are Match Fees for Australian Cricketers?

For a player in the XI for these formats, an Indian player earns

  • Home Test Fees: $12,500 USD ($18,000 AUD)
  • Away Test Fees: $17,725 USD ($25,000 AUD)
  • ODI Fees: $4,800 USD ($7,000 AUD)
  • T20I Fees: $3,800 USD ($5,500 AUD)

Estimated Match Fees: Between November 2021 and October 2022 (between the two consecutive T20 World Cups), Australia played a total of 10 Test matches (5 Home – $62,500, 5 Away – $88,625), 14 ODIs ($67,200), and 17 T20Is ($64,600).

A player who played all formats during this time period could have earned match fees alone up to $282,925.

Australia Cricket Highest Paid (2017)

Steve Smith was the highest earned Australian cricketer (from central contracts & match fees only), estimated around $1, 470,000.

Australia Cricket Contract List 2022-23

Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner, Adam Zampa

Sources: Big names miss out in CA contract shake-up | cricket.com.au, Contracted Players

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Salary of Afghanistan cricketers?

$20,000-40,000

What is the Salary of Australian cricketers?

$362,500-1.75 Million

What is the Salary of Bangladesh cricketers?

$55,000-212,000

What is the Salary of England cricketers?

$350,000-1.5 Million

What is the Salary of Indian cricketers?

$191,000-1.3 Million

What is the Salary of Irish cricketers?

$90,000-100,000

What is the Salary of New Zealand cricketers?

$258,000-500,000

What is the Salary of Pakistani cricketers?

$72,000-280,000

What is the Salary of Sri Lankan cricketers?

$65,000-351,000

What is the Salary of South African cricketers?

$70,000-468,000

What is the Salary of West Indian cricketers?

$140,000-300,000

What is the Salary of Zimbabwean cricketers?

$44,000-90,000

Photo Courtesy: Embeded from Getty Images

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, 2021. Originally published on 08/10/2022. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Broken Cricket Dreams with appropriate and specific direction to the original content (i.e. linked to the exact post/article).

How Much Do Different Types of Cricketers Earn Per Year (2022)? Salaries of Pujara, Stokes, Warner, Billings, Tim David Revealed!

How much do cricketers earn per year? – Men’s Edition.

On average domestic first-class cricketers earn $85,000 per year, an international cricketer might earn anywhere from $200,000-$2 million (depending on contract tier and nationality), and T20 freelance cricketers earn per year in the range of $700,000-$1.7 million.

This is a start to our new series on Finances in Cricket. Why?

Well because international cricket is at its fulcrum of its continental divide. The tectonic plates comprising of international cricket, T20 leagues, and World Cups are about to crash and massive seismic activity is going to take place in the next decade or so.

At the heart of the matter is the professionalization of cricket, and individual cricketers now having choices. Today we explore seven templates for cricketers to make a professional career in today’s world and analyze how much these cricketers earn per year on average.

Also Read:

The Different Player Types

Cricket is no longer in the 1990s, where playing at the international level was the only feasible way to earn a sustainable living with maybe an additional County contract.

We have identified seven different types of players and how much does each type of cricketer earn. These types are:

  1. First Class Players Only (Ranji, County, Sheffield Shield)
  2. Test Player + County contract (ex: Cheteshwar Pujara)
  3. All 3 format player + IPL contract (ex: David Warner)
  4. 2 formats + IPL (ex: Ben Stokes, Quinton de Kock)
  5. Fringe national player + 2/3 franchise leagues per year (ex: Sam Billings)
  6. Only T20 circuit (ex: Imran Tahir/Tim David)
  7. TNPL/KPL + IPL Deal (ex: Varun Chakravarthy)

Note the seventh type of player is a rare edge case – those who get selected for the IPL without any domestic or international experience (for ex, Pravin Tambe & TNPL stars like Varun Chakravarthy).

Cricketer Salaries

1. How Much Do First Class Cricketers Earn Per year?

County Cricket Average Annual Salary

  • Minimum: $29,000, $19,500 for rookies
  • Average; $125,000

How the County Cricket Contract Structure Works

The minimum wage for a County Cricketer is about 24,000 pounds per year ($29,000) and for rookie signings, close to 16,000 pounds per year ($19, 500).

However, actual salaries for more experienced players and overseas signings are probably much higher. For example, in its 2021-22 Annual Report, Kent County spent 2.1 million pounds ($2.5 million) on wages in 2021, provided to 20 cricketers.

This averages to an estimate of about $125,000 per year for a County cricketer.

*Note: The average County salary may vary drastically from county to county based on funding, crowd attendance, etc.

Sources: Various Annual Reports of counties, SKY Sports: Minimum wage for full-time county cricketers to be lowered to £24,000 amid coronavirus pandemic

Ranji Trophy Average Annual Salary

  • Minimum: $11,000
  • Average: $28,360
  • Maximum: $65,250

How the Indian Domestic Cricket Pay Structure Works

The structure for Indian domestic cricket is quite interesting. Indian first-class players are paid per day rather than on a contract basis. Hence a day of Ranji Trophy game or a Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 is worth the same amount.

Before 2021, all players earned about Rs 35,000 ($440/day) and Rs. 17,500 ($220/day). However, the new Indian domestic salary structure is now dependent on seniority as follows:

Number of Career Matches PlayedSalary (if selected in the XI)Salary (if in reserves)
1-20Rs 40,000 ($500)Rs 20,000 ($250)
21-40Rs 50,000 ($630)Rs 25,000 ($315)
41+Rs 60,000 ($750)Rs 30,000 ($375)
Indian Domestic Player Salaries

A Ranji Trophy league game is usually 4-day games and knockout matches are 5-day games. Hence, the amount of money a player is paid per Ranji Trophy league match is as follows:

  • 1-20 matches: $2,000 (in the XI), $1,000 (Reserves)
  • 21-40 matches; $2,520 (XI), $1,260 (Reserves)
  • 41-60 matches: $3,000 (XI), $1,500 (Reserves)

For knockout matches, the corresponding amount is $2,500 ($1,250 – reserves), $3,150($1,575), and $3,750 (1,875) for the three brackets respectively.

Total Domestic Season Salary

Due to the pandemic disruption, some of the formats were tweaked or tournaments were cancelled altogether. However, we can look back at the 2018-19 season to see how a regular season would look like:

TournamentLeague GamesKnockoutsMaximum Days Played
Ranji Trophy8 (4-day)3 (5-day)47
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (New format)5 49
Vijay Hazare Trophy8311
Duleep Trophy2 (4-day)1 (5-day)13
Deodhar Trophy213
Irani Cup1 (4-day)4
Total25 matches (55 days)13 (32 days)87 days

*Note, the Duleep Trophy (India Blue, India Red, India Green) & Deodhar Trophy (India A, India B, India C) does not include all players, and some of these Indian players might already be on a national contract.

Hence, an experienced player (41+ matches) who has played all 87 days of cricket, can earn up to $65, 250 per season. Of course, that means each of their teams would need to get to the final in these six tournaments, which will be a rare occurrence.

On the other hand, a reserve inexperienced player (less than 20 career matches), who does not get selected for Duleep, Deodhar, and Irani Trophy will receive pay for about 45 days per year. That player can earn about $11,000 per season.

However, an average Indian domestic cricketer is somewhere in the middle. The average player might play all of the Ranji league games, SMAT, and the Vijay Hazare Trophy and may have 21-40 matches in his career. Such a player may earn around $28,630 per season.

Sources: The Indian Express

Sheffield Shield Average Annual Salary

  • Maximum: $145,000

According to cricket.com.au, the average retainer salary of domestic Australian cricketer who plays all formats is 198,000 Australian dollars ($145,000).

Sources: cricket.com.au

New Zealand Domestic Cricket Annual Salary

  • Minimum: $34,000
  • Maximum: $51,700

NZ domestic players earn via an annual Retainer salary plus match fees.

The retainers range from 27,000-53,000 NZ dollars ($17,000-$33,000 USD). The match fees are 1,650 NZD per Plunkett Shield (first class) game, 800 for Ford Trophy (List A), and 575 NZD for T20 Super Smash.

The Plunkett Shield consists of 8 matches per season, 10-12 matches for Ford Trophy, and 10-12 matches for the T20 Super Smash. Hence, a player can earn between 26,950-29,700 NZD ($17,000-$18,700 USD) in match fees.

Hence, the minimum a player can earn is around $34,000 while the maximum is around $51,700.

Sources: Stuff.co.nz

2. How much do Test cricketers earn per year?

Prototype Player: Cheteshwar PujaraTest cricketer only, plays in County Cricket in the off season

Cheteshwar Pujara Estimated Annual Salary: $1-1.5 million

Cheteshwar Pujara was demoted from Grade A to Grade B list for the current 2021-2022 season. Grade B pays around 3 crore rupees ($381,000) annually.

In addition, match fee for an Indian Test cricket is about 15 lakh rupees ($19,000). If Pujara plays, on average, 10 Tests per year, then he would earn around $190,000 from match fees.

It is not clear how much Pujara received as an overseas signing for Sussex.

However, since the salary cap is around $2.45 million and the minimum wage for a county player is around $29,000, we can estimate a range of Pujara’s salary. Since there are around 24 cricketers in the squad, if we assume around 10 Sussex cricketers are on minimum wage, 10 more who earn around $50,000, then Pujara might be receiving somewhere between $400,000-$1,000,000 as an overseas signing

Adding it all up, Pujara’s salary is about $1-1.5 million.

Source: (ESPNCricinfo) BCCI Contract List

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3. How much do three format players earn per year?

Prototype Player: David Warner Plays all 3 formats at the international level & the Indian Premier League (IPL)

David Warner Estimated Annual Salary: $2 million

In the latest rounds of Australian contracts, David Warner earned about 1.5 million AUD ($1 million USD) along with match fees as follows:

  • Home Test Fees: $18,000 AUD ($12,500 USD)
  • Away Test Fees: $25,000 AUD ($17,275 USD)
  • ODI Fees: $7,000 AUD ($4,800 USD)
  • T20I Fees $5,500 AUD ($3,800 USD)

Since the 2021 T20 World Cup (including the T20 WC), David Warner has played 10 Tests (5 home, 5 away), 5 ODIs, and 10 T20Is. This amounts to a total of $210,875 in match fees.

In any addition, as a prominent three format player, he was picked at the IPL by Delhi Capitals in the 2022 IPL auction for Rs. 6.25 crore ($791,000).

If we add the national contract, match fees, and IPL deal, then David Warner earns an estimated $2 million per year.

Finally, the Big Bash has restrictions on domestic player for a salary cap of AUD $190,000 ($132,000 USD) for a long three-month tournament, while the UAE International T20 league is offering him $450,000 for a shorter time period. No wonder he wants to skip the BBL.

*Note this does not even include World Cup win award, player of the match awards, or any other endorsement fees.

Source: Sporty Report, Cricinfo Cricket Monthly

Embed from Getty Images

4. How much do two format players earn per year?

Prototype Player: Ben Stokes, Quinton de KockPlays only two formats at the international level & IPL

Ben Stokes Estimated Annual Salary: $1.5 million

Ben Stokes received a retainer fee of about 925,000 pounds ($1.125 million). ECB’s contract for match fees is as follows:

14,500 pounds ($17,600) – Test, 4,500 ($5,500) – ODIs, and 4,500 ($5,500) – T20Is.

Stokes has already played 12 Tests this year with 3 more to come against South Africa next month. Although he hasn’t played many T20Is recently, England are scheduled to play 7 T20Is vs Pakistan, 3 vs Australia, and at least 5 T20Is in the 2022 T20 World Cup for a total of 15 T20Is.

Combining the Test and T20I fees, Stokes could earn about $346,500 in match fees this year.

Source: England Cricket Central Contracts 2021/22

Also Read: Cricket Self-Implodes: Thailand, The ICC, COVID, Racism, Sex, And Overkill of Cricket – Cricket Controversies 2021, End of Cricket As We Know It? Pakistan, Postponement, Mental Health Crisis, and Overkill of Cricket

Embed from Getty Images

5. How much do fringe cricketers earn per year?

Prototype Player: Sam BillingsNot nationally contracted player (reserve player). May IPL & 1-2 other most popular leagues to compensate

Estimated Annual Salary: $700,000-800,000

Sam Billings has been carrying drinks for England since the inception of the Earth. For someone who is always a substitute, never a permanent – how much does he actually earn?

Most famously, he had to drive 500 miles in Australia from the Big Bash as a reserve player in England’s Ashes tour of Australia. He has always been in and out of the squad, but with England’s enviable limited overs depth and with Ben Foakes & Jonny Bairstow already in Tests, he does not get much game time. In his own words,

“It would be a very Sam Billings thing to do to drive nine hours to run the drinks”

– Sam Billings

Already 31 years old, Billings has only played 3 Tests, 25 ODIs, and 37 T20Is. Being a reserve player means, he usually travels with the squad, thereby missing out on T20 leagues that happen during this time. Moreso, Billings got removed from the 2021-2022 ECB contract.

This year, he has played 3 Tests, 4 T20Is, and zero ODIs for a total match fee of $74, 800. For a player like him, he has to compensate via multiple streams of income. He just signed a contract extension with Kent, which by our own averages amounts to about $125,000.

T20 League Salaries

Finally, Sam Billings plays in the most popular T20 leagues around the world:

  • IPL – He was picked by KKR for Rs 2 crore ($250,000) in IPL 2022 auctions
  • The Hundred – Oval Invincibles – Hundred Salary Raise 202230,000-125,000 pounds ($36,000-$151,000)
  • PSL – Islamabad United – Bilings was picked in the Silver Category of the draft – Pakistan Rs. 2.4 million ($10,500)
  • He has played an essential part at Sydney Thunder and is most likely to be a part of the new r lucrative overseas draft, which will feature four categories: Platinum – $AUD 340,000 ($236,000), Gold – $AUD 260,000 ($181,000), Silver – $AUD – 175,000 ($121,000), and Bronze – $AUD 100,000 ($70,000).

In total, Billings may earn around $400,000-$650,000 in leagues alone. All in all, Sam Billings’ estimated annual income is around $700,000-800,000 when streams of income are combined.

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6. How much do IPL cricketers earn per year on average?

Protype Player: Varun ChakravarthySurprise player, rags to riches stories (rare cases), usually sprout up from the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) and the Karnataka Premier League (KPL)

  • Minimum: $26,250
  • Maximum: $1-2 million

The IPL is a volatile market for salaries.

In the IPL 2022 auction, 204 players were sold for Rs. 54,580 lac total, for an average price of Rs. 267.55 lac ($337,000). KL Rahul was retained for a whopping Rs 17 crore ($2.1 million) per season, while the lowest player was sold at Rs. 20 lacs ($25,000) per season.

Chakravarthy himself was retained by KKR for Rs 8 crore ($1 million). His rise is accredited to the 2018 TNPL season, which resulted in his purchase by KXIP in IPL 2022. Since then, he has made a name for himself in IPL 2021 at KKR and was subsequently selected for the Indian national team for the 2021 T20 World Cup.

Tamil Nadu Premier League salary ranges from Rs. 1-5 lac ($1,250-$6,315) depending on domestic and international experience.

7. How much do T20 leagues freelance cricketers earn per year?

Prototype Player: Tim David, Imran Tahir, Rilee Rossouw (before international comeback)Unlike Sam Billings, players in this category might not be in the national radar at all and may have the freedom to play in T20 leagues all year around.

  • Estimated Annual Salary: $1.7 million
  • Tim David
    • IPL: 8.25 crore ($1 million)
    • PSL: $130,000 (Platinum category)
    • Hundred: $36,000-$150,000
    • CPL: $20,000-$160,000
    • Big Bash: $70,000-$250,000

In addition, players like Rossouw have also played in the Bangladesh Premier League (salaries range from $20,000-$150,000) and the Lanka Premier League ($10,000-$60,000).

With the UAE International T20 league and other smaller leagues sprouting up, this salary will inevitably rise as the number of leagues will grow (quality may decrease, though).

Sources: CPL confirms Trinidad & Tobago plans, will ask players to take pay cuts (espncricinfo.com)

Also Read: The Need For Champions League & a T20 League Calendar

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Changes in Cricket Over the Last Few Months

Let us review what has transpired recently in the cricketing world.

  1. South Africa forfeits ODI Super League points to nurture their homegrown T20 league
  2. Ben Stokes retires from ODIs; Quinton de Kock retires earlier in the year from Tests
  3. The new 2023-27 FTP is unveiled – IPL gets larger window, BBL/Hundred get window in national calendars; Tests among Big 3 grows
  4. BCCI breaks records on IPL broadcast deals in the next five years – Rs. 48,390 crore ($6.2 billion)
  5. The debate on ‘death of ODI cricket‘ rages on due to proliferation of T20 leagues
  6. IPL owners buy all six of the South African franchise & some of the UAE International T20 league
  7. T20 league window battle ensues between the UAE-Australia-South Africa in terms of a schedule window & recruiting players like David Warner
  8. South Africa’s Kolpak players return to the national fold

The list goes on and on. Cricket is changing fast. If you blink, you’ll miss what is happening.

Where do all these issues stem from? The issue involves MONEY.

In this series, we will research and investigate it all. How much money does each cricket board earn, who are the richest cricketers, how are resources divided in international tournaments, how much money it takes to host Test cricket, etc., but today we focus on the central issue – how much do different types of cricketers earn per year?

Also Read: USA Cricket: The Next NFL Or NBA – Trillion Dollar Bet?, 15 Cricket Problems That Needs to Be Solved in the Next Decade | How to Fix Cricket 101

Why Does This Matter?

Player salaries matter because that dictates the choices that players will make.

Even though Cricket Australia offers hefty contracts to their national players, especially to top tier players like David Warner, Steve Smith, and Aaron Finch, this innate structure is being threatened by the money in franchise leagues.

It is rumored that the UAE International T20 league will be the second most lucrative league after the IPL, and they are offering around $450,000 for Australian players to poach them from the Big Bash League, that is held during the same time.

If top Australian players do not opt for the Big Bash, who will? This may create conflict between the players and the national board, which can result in a messy standoff. Australian cricket could lose money, which would jeopardize the national contracts.

For the other players like New Zealand & South Africa, playing in foreign leagues is not an option but a necessity. They do not get paid nearly enough to afford a decent living.

Finally, in an age of T20, players like Pujara and solely domestic/Test players are squeezed out. County cricket offers another stream of income, but with separation of formats a possibility, maybe an international First-Class franchise league may be an idea to think about.

****

Other Readings – Cricket Innovations

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do first class cricketers earn per year?

First class cricketers earn anywhere between $30,000-$145,000 per year depending on the nation, with an average of about $85,000.

How much does Ben Stokes earn?

Ben Stokes earns around $1.5 million (excluding captaincy bonuses, IPL deals, and other endorsements).

What is Cheteshwar Pujara’s salary?

Cheteshwar Pujara’s annual estimated salary is around $1-1.5 million.photo of cheteshwar pujara at sussex

What is David Warner’s salary?

David Warner earns about $2 million annually from his national contracts, match fees, and IPL deals alone.

How much do County Cricketers earn?

County cricketers earn a minimum wage of 24,000 pounds ($29,000). However, county teams have a salary cap of $2-3 million. Hence experienced players and overseas signings may be signed around $400,000-$1,000,000. Therefore, the average salary of a County cricketer may be estimated to be around $125,000.

How much do Indian domestic Ranji Trophy players earn?

Indian first-class domestic players earn based on their experience. Salaries may range from $11,000 for inexperienced players on the reserve squad, while experienced players who play most of the matches may earn up to $65,000.

Image Courtesy: Getty Embed

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, 2021. Originally published on 08/04/2022. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Broken Cricket Dreams with appropriate and specific direction to the original content (i.e. linked to the exact post/article).