a

101 Ways How Not to Treat a Professional Athlete Feat David Willey | David Willey Announces Retirement

Fired. Dropped. Left Out. Mismanaged. Ignored. Neglected.

These are some of the worst feelings to have. I’m sure all of us have suffered something similar at one time or another in our lives. As Irish poet Oscar Wilde once reflected,

“There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.” 

Today we discuss the curious case of David Willey, who announced that he will retire from international cricket at the age of 33. Unlike Quinton de Kock, Naveen-ul-Haq, Alastair Cook, or AB de Villiers, Willey’s case is not dictated by the influx of franchise leagues or overkill of cricket. 

His career is a study in how NOT to treat a cricketer or any professional athlete for that matter.

Ignorance, But Not Bliss 

The retirement call might have been hastened by ECB’s careless choice of announcing new central contracts amidst a tumbling World Cup campaign.

These contracts are said to be worth between £130,000–£800,000. These are multi-year contracts with additional scope of £70,000 for any County commitments. Why did the ECB need to take such drastic actions?

Well, cricket is changing and 2023 has been a watershed moment with SAT20, ILT20, and MLC offering more income and additional options to IPL, BBL, CPL, and PSL. With IPL franchises owning teams around the world, there were murmurs about franchises offering year-long contracts to players, thereby threatening the last remaining bits of international cricket.

The English administration had to act fast. And act they did.

27 England players were offered a central contract. Every member in the World Cup squad except for one was offered a central contact.

And that one was David Willey.

Ignored.

England’s 2023 World Cup Debacle

The decision would have made sense had Willey been out of favor for a few months or had a dip in form or was out of his prime, but let’s look at the facts.

  • In England’s derailing World Cup, who has the best batting average? You guessed it right, David Willey — 42.00 (yes he bats in the bottom and may have not-outs to boost him up but so what…let’s not go in the details here) 
  • Willey is also England’s third highest wicket-taker despite only playing 3 matches so far  — 5 (the only more unfortunate player than Willey is at the top of England’s bowling charts — Reece Topley, who has gone back home with yet another freak injury).
  • 2nd best bowling average — yep Willey again (behind Topley)
  • 3rd most sixes…behind Malan and Mark Wood (which tells you everything you need to know about England’s listless World Cup)

But I know what you must be thinking — these are stats after the contracts were announced, but what about the statistics leading up to the World Cup?

  • Between the 2019–2023 World Cups, David Willey was England’s second highest wicket taker and the highest wicket taker for a pacer (37 wickets in 21 ODIs compared to 41 in 27 for Adil Rashid).
  • 37 wickets, 22.35 Average, 5.2 Economy, best of 5/30, 4/5 fers: 1/2

Those are stellar figures. In the absence of Jofra Archer & Mark Wood, Willey often led the attack alongside Topley & Saqib Mahmood.

In his own words, he was “Upset, angry, disappointed.”

The Horror of 2019 

But this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Imagine taking 52 wickets in 45 wickets and being a consistent member of the side for FOUR years before being dropped on the eve of the World Cup (after being initially selected)…for someone who had taken 3 wickets.

Well that happened to Willey. Now of course, it’s another story that the person he was dropped for was none other than Jofra Archer, waiting for his residency period to complete after immigrating from Barbados. Archer would end up playing an instrumental part in the World Cup victory a month later and bowled THAT Super Over.

Anyway, back to Willey.

What’s more depressing is that deep down, Willey predicted that he would be the one to be cut. He said a few days earlier to Archer’s inclusion, 

“It’s an interesting dilemma for the captain, coach, and selectors. It’s a group of players that have been together for three or four years now that have got us to No. 1….Whether someone should just walk in at the drop of a hat because they are available, whether that’s the right thing. I don’t know.”

I am sure Willey would have been crushed. 

What did Ed Smith, England’s selector back then, have to say?

“He deserves to be in the World Cup squad. But that’s sport.”

Broken Cricket Dreams.

The Hope of 2022

When there is disappointment, there is always a glimmer of hope. 

Willey did enjoy some good memories over the years.

In domestic cricket, he gained a reputation of batting in the top order and hitting some gigantic sixes. He was England’s leading wicket taker in the 2016 T20 Final and had a stunning all-round performance of 21*(14) of 4–0–20–3 in the Final (could have been a player of the Final…but unfortunately, Marlon Samuels & Carlos Brathwaite had other plans). 

Then the 2019 World Cup happened.

He made another comeback and was selected in the 2021 & 2022 T20 World Cup squads but would not end up playing a single game (at least he finally lifted the T20 World Cup Trophy with the team). 

Forever on the Sidelines

First there was Archer. Then another player picked out of thin air, Tymal Mills. 

With Topley & Sam Curran around, there was always competition in the left arm pace department. In the all-rounders category, England were blessed with Stokes, Woakes, and Moeen Ali.

Willey had to prove to the selectors every time he took the field in an England jersey because his spot was never confirmed. He was always in the scheme of things but only on the edge. As a substitute, an injury replacement. 

But once another shining player was found or conditions did not favor swing, Willey was the first to be dropped. 

In this case, he was the only one not among 27. 

England lost out on Willey, not the other way around. David Willey — Forever on the sidelines.

Resilience and Determination – David Willey in his Own Words

And here is David Willey’s retirement statement in his own word.

“Winning World Cup with my family around…that medal there…I didn’t play in that World Cup…But that victory signified so much for me…Coming back into the side and being there…that was very special.”

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, LLC 2023. Originally published on 11/01/2023. 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).

England Cricket Schedule 2023 Cricket World Cup (The Complete Guide): ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 England’s Fixtures

England Cricket Schedule 2023 Cricket World Cup—The Complete Guide.

England continue to dominate white ball cricket. Does their World Cup schedule suit their title defense?

Let’s dive in.

Key Takeaways

  • England begin their opening match against New Zealand on October 5, 2023 and play their last group stage match against Pakistan on November 11, 2023.
  • The high stakes England vs Australia match is scheduled on November 4, 2023 in Pune.
  • England are playing two day matches (begins at 10:30 AM local) matches. The rest are Day-Night affairs, scheduled to begin at 2 PM local time.

Cricket World Cup 2023 – England Fixtures

FixtureOppositionDate (Local Time)Venue
Eng vs NZNew ZealandOctober 5, 2023 (2 PM)Ahmedabad
Eng vs BangBangladeshOctober 10, 2023 (10:30 AM)Dharamsala
Eng vs AfgAfghanistanOctober 15, 2023 (2 PM)Delhi
Eng vs SASouth AfricaOctober 21, 2023 (2 PM)Mumbai
Eng vs SLSri LankaOctober 26, 2023 (2 PM)Bengaluru
Eng vs IndIndiaOctober 29, 2023 (2 PM)Lucknow
Eng vs AusAustraliaNovember 4, 2023 (10:30 AM)Ahmedabad
Eng vs NethNetherlandsNovember 8, 2023 (2 PM)Pune
Eng vs PakPakistanNovember 11, 2023 (2 PM)Kolkata

England Cricket Schedule 2023 Cricket World Cup: List of England’s World Cup Fixtures

1. England vs. New Zealand – Oct 5, 2023

Eng vs NZ 2023 ODI World Cup Details

  • Venue: Ahmedabad
  • Time: 2:00 PM Local (8:30 AM GMT)

Eng vs NZ 2023 Preview

England, a team known for its aggressive cricket, begins its World Cup campaign against New Zealand, a consistently strong and competitive team. Given the recent form of both teams, this promises to be a thrilling encounter. Look out for a resurgent Tim Southee.

2. England vs. Bangladesh – Oct 10, 2023

Eng vs Bang 2023 ODI World Cup Details

  • Venue: Dharamsala
  • Stadium: Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium
  • Time: 10:30 AM Local (5:00 AM GMT)

Eng vs Ban 2023 Preview

Eight years ago, Bangladesh knocked out England that began their revolution in ODI cricket. The Top 2 teams in the ODI Super League, this clash could surprisingly be a good one to watch..

Check Out: Bangladesh Asia Cup 2023 Squad Breakdown: Which of the 19-men will make the Bangladesh 2023 World Cup Squad?

3. England vs. Afghanistan – Oct 15, 2023

Eng vs Afg 2023 ODI World Cup Details

  • Venue: Delhi
  • Stadium: Arun Jaitley Stadium
  • Time: 2:00 PM Local (8:30 AM GMT)

Eng vs Afg 2023 Preview

England’s next match is against Afghanistan, a team that has shown significant improvement in recent years. England will have to be at their best to counter Afghanistan’s spin attack. Ben Stokes & Moeen Ali could come to the party here.

Check Out: Afghanistan Asia Cup 2023 Squad Breakdown: Which of the 17-men will make the Afghanistan 2023 World Cup Squad?

4. England vs. South Africa – Oct 21, 2023

Eng vs SA 2023 ODI World Cup Details

  • Venue: Mumbai
  • Stadium: Wankhede Stadium
  • Time: 2:00 PM Local (8:30 AM GMT)

Eng vs SA 2023 Preview

Anrich Nortje vs Jos Buttler will set the tone for this match. If the chase is close, Klaasen vs Wood could be a mouth-watering contest to watch.

Check Out: South Africa Cricket Schedule 2023 Cricket World Cup (The Complete Guide): ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 South Africa’s Fixtures, 2023 Cricket World Cup South Africa Squad Breakdown (The Definitive Guide): Which 15 players will make the final squad from the Preliminary Squad of 18?

5. England vs. Sri Lanka – Oct 26, 2023

Eng vs SL 2023 ODI World Cup Details

  • Venue: Bengaluru
  • Stadium: M Chinnaswamy Stadium
  • Time: 2:00 PM Local (8:30 AM GMT)

Eng vs SL 2023 Preview

England’s fifth match is against Sri Lanka, the island nation known for its unorthodox style of play. England will have to adapt and strategize carefully to tackle the challenges posed by the Sri Lankan team.

At the Chinnaswamy, expect Roy-Bairstow-Livingstone to hit it out the park.

6. England vs. India – Oct 29, 2023

Eng vs Ind 2023 ODI World Cup Details

  • Venue: Lucknow
  • Stadium: Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium
  • Time: 2:00 PM Local (8:30 AM GMT)

Eng vs Ind 2023 Preview

England’s next encounter will be against India, one of the favorites for the tournament. This will be an exciting match against a strong Indian side playing on home soil. At Lucknow, this could be a low-scoring thriller.

Check Out: India Cricket Schedule 2023 Cricket World Cup (The Complete Guide): ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 India’s Fixtures, India Asia Cup 2023 Squad Breakdown: Which of these 18-men will make the India 2023 Cricket World Cup Squad?

7. England vs. Australia – Nov 4, 2023

Eng vs Aus 2023 ODI World Cup Details

  • Venue: Ahmedabad
  • Stadium: Narendra Modi Stadium
  • Time: 10:30 AM Local (5:00 AM GMT)

Eng vs Aus 2023 Preview

England then faces their age-old rivals, Australia, in what promises to be a fierce encounter. Both teams will be eager to gain the upper hand in this iconic cricketing rivalry.

Check Out: 2023 Cricket World Cup Australia Squad Breakdown (The Definitive Guide): Which 15 players will make the final squad from the Preliminary Squad of 18?

8. England vs. Netherlands – Nov 8, 2023

Eng vs Neth 2023 ODI World Cup Details

  • Venue: Pune
  • Stadium: Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium
  • Time: 2:00 PM Local (8:30 AM GMT)

Eng vs Neth 2023 Preview

2009. 2014. Netherlands have ‘upset’ England a number of times before on the biggest occasion. Can they do it again?

9. England vs. Pakistan – Nov 11, 2023

Eng vs Pak 2023 ODI World Cup Details

  • Venue: Kolkata
  • Stadium: Eden Gardens
  • Time: 2:00 PM Local (8:30 AM GMT)

Eng vs Pak 2023 Preview

Could be one of the matches of the tournament. Both teams are at the top of their games.

Check Out: Pakistan Asia Cup 2023 Squad Breakdown: Which of these 18-men will make the Pakistan 2023 Cricket World Cup Squad?, Pakistan Cricket Schedule 2023 Cricket World Cup (The Complete Guide): ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 Pakistan’s Fixtures

Final Thoughts

Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler will be vital to England’s prospects in the ODI World Cup 2023. The duo’s performance could significantly influence England’s journey through the tournament.

England play Bangladesh & Afghanistan early on. If England do not slip up on these banana peels, they should make the semi-finals.

What do you say?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Who are the key players to watch in the England team?

Key players in the England team include Joe Root, Ben Stokes, and Jos Buttler. Their performances will dictate how the team goes.

Who will be the captain of England’s team in the World Cup 2023?

Jos Buttler is the captain of England’s team in the 2023 ODI World Cup.

Is Jofra Archer in England’s 2023 ODI Cricket World Cup?

Jofra Archer will be a ‘traveling reserve’ to India. He is still on injury, and most likely will not make the final squad.

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, LLC 2023. Originally published on 08/30/2023. 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).

How Much Money Does It Take to Host a Test Match?

How much money does it really take to host a Test match?

We have heard the claims that cricketing countries like New Zealand & South Africa ‘lose money’ while hosting a Test match. Well, how much money are they losing? Why are they losing so much money?

Don’t worry, I got you. Here is a research article on how much money it costs to host a Test match.

Key Takeaways

While mulling the future of cricket, MCC recently asked “how much it really costs to host a Test match?” Well, we have an answer for you.

  • A 2-Test series can cost about $679,500-$2.3 million, while a 5-Test series Ashes may incur expenses ranging from $ 3.043 million to a whopping $7.3 million.
  • Hence, on average, it takes around $350,000-$1.4 million to host a Test match. The vast range is due to the choices made by the national board – whether to have 4-cameras or 16, whether to purchase the complete version of the DRS or just the Hawkeye, number of support staff, choices for hotels and flights, etc.
  • Factors that impact the cost of hosting a Test match include (but are not limited to) technology, the review system, player match fees, umpires’ fees, post-match awards, broadcasting & commentating team, security personnel, support staff, hotels, food, flights, busses, incidentals, and facilities.

*Note: Apart from the host cricket board, some of these expenses may be shared between sponsors, broadcasters, ICC, and state/ national governments.

Other articles in Cricket & Finances: Money, Money, Money!

  1. Technology in Cricket (The Definitive Guide): Economics & Cost of the Review System
  2. Salary of Cricketers (Men’s) from Each of the 12 Nations (2022)—The Complete Guide
  3. Top 12 Richest Cricket Boards (RANKED 2023): Which Cricket Board Has the Highest Net Worth—BCCI, CA, ECB, CSA, or PCB?
  4. How Much Do Different Types of Cricketers Earn Per Year (2022)? Salaries of Pujara, Stokes, Warner, Billings, Tim David Revealed!
  5. Top 11 Richest Cricket Leagues (By Average Salaries). Which Cricket League Pays the Most (2022)
  6. What is the Salary of a Major League Cricket player in the USA?
  7. Virat Kohli Net Worth 2023 (in Dollars USD and Indian Rupee INR): How Do Cricketers Earn Money?
Embed from Getty Images

How Much Money Does it take to Host a Test Match – The Top 9 Factors

It takes a village to host a Test match. This includes the players themselves, the commentators, ground staff, umpires, ball boys & girls, bus drivers, security personnel, administrators, ticket sellers, the media, and most importantly, the fans.

We take all these dimensions and come up with estimates for a 2-Test series and a 5-Test series.

We consider an Australia-England Test series for our 5-match estimates and teams like West Indies, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan for our 2-match estimates.

Note: All numbers are in $ USD. Also, some costs might be one-off cost to the host country (for example, ground covers, initial camera equipment, speed gun, stumps, cost of buying land & building the stadium, etc.). Some of these costs may be offset by the maintenance costs of the one-off items, and hence, should not impact the overall estimate range much.

*If you use any of our derivations and data, please link this article to avoid copyright issues.

1. Technology: $120,000-$2.6 Million

What Does it Include?

  • DRS (Hawkeye, Hotspot, Snicko, etc.), Cameras (4-16, SpiderCam), Stumps (Stump Mic, LED Stumps, Zing Bails), Bushnell Range Finder, and Speed Gun

Note: To cut costs, some boards may choose to only purchase Hawkeye with minimal cameras, while other nations might purchase a full set of DRS/camera setup.

How Much will a 2-match Test series cost?

  • Minimum Cost: $120,000
  • Maximum Cost: $300,000

How Much will a 5-match Test series cost?

  • Minimum Cost: $300,000
  • Maximum Cost: $2.6 Million

For the breakdown of how we derived these estimates, check out the article on cost of technology in cricket.

Embed from Getty Images

2. Broadcasting & Commentators: $20,000-$1 million

What Does it Include?

This includes the salary of commentators, behind-the-scenes broadcasters.

According to various reports online, commentators can earn $1000-$5000 in match fees and around $50,000 per series. Some commentators even take home paychecks of up to a million dollars per year.

How Much will a 2-match Test series cost?

  • Minimum Cost: $20,000 ($1,000 match fee per Test for set of 10 commentators)
  • Maximum Cost: $750,000 ($50,000 series fee for set of 15 commentators)

How Much will a 5-match Test series cost?

  • Minimum Cost: $375,000 ($5,000 match fee per Test for set of 15 commentators)
  • Maximum Cost: $1 million ($50,000 series fee for set of 20 commentators)

Sky Sports signed 19 commentators for the 2023 Ashes season.

Note: The cost for technology, broadcasting, and commentators may be shared between the cricket board and broadcasting companies. This may also be negotiated in the various TV/streaming multi-year broadcasting deals.

Sources: CricTracker, Sportscriber

Embed from Getty Images

3. Player Match Fees & Match Awards: $130,000-1 Million

What Does it Include?

This will only include the match fees for the players in the playing XI. We do not include yearly contracted salary for this calculation since that is a separate transaction between a player & its cricket board.

How Much will a 2-match Test series cost?

  • Minimum Cost: 126,500
  • Maximum Cost: $145,000

Calculation Method: Test Match Fees * 2 (number of Test) * 11 (number of players in the playing XI). With player of the match/series awards (plus many more nowadays), this cost will increase to $130,000-$160,000.

How Much will a 5-match Test series cost?

  • Minimum Cost: $687,500
  • Maximum Cost: $1 million

Calculation Method: Test Match Fees * 5 (number of Test) * 11 (number of players in the playing XI). If we add the award costs, this cost will increase to $700,000-$1,025,000.

Note, each board will pay each of their players separately, so we will not double count this value (i.e. we will only count the expense for the host team).

For a breakdown of how we derived the player salaries, check out the article on salary breakdown for each country in men’s cricket. For a breakdown of post-match awards, check out Virat Kohli’s net worth : A case study.

Embed from Getty Images

4. Umpires: $50,000-$125,000

What Does it Include?

This includes umpires, video umpire, reserve umpire, and referee. Some online websites estimate umpires may earn around $5,000 match fees for Test cricket.

How Much will a 2-match Test series cost?

  • Average Cost: $50,000 ($5000 * 2 * 5 umpires)

How Much will a 5-match Test series cost?

  • Average Cost: $125,000 ($5000 * 5 * 5 umpires)

Source: Sportsekz

Embed from Getty Images

5. Flights: $7,500-65,000

What Does it Include?

A team like West Indies may be responsible for arranging flights from island to island or countries like Australia or India, where distances between cities is more convenient by air.

For domestic travel, we assume host boards will pay for players from both teams involved.

This will total to about 45-80 members total (squad: 15 players, 5 net bowlers per team, 3-5 coaches, umpires & referees: 5-8, commentators: 10-20, miscellaneous/administrators: 1-10)

How Much will a 2-match Test series cost?

The current India-West Indies series takes place in Roseau & Port of Spain. For a 2-Test series, we consider one flight.

  • Minimum Cost: $7,605: 45 * $169
  • Maximum Cost: $64,000: 80*800

Calculation Method: A flight from Roseau, Dominica to Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago on Google Flights – $169 (Friday, August 4th – a really good deal this), $1665 (Sunday, August 6th – not the best use of your money), average prices are around $800.

Note: These estimates may vary depending if the national boards consider business or economy class and how soon they book their tickets.

How Much will a 5-match Test series cost?

We will consider the 2021 Ashes for this scenario. We check current one-way prices for Brisbane-Adelaide (around $300), Adelaide-Melbourne ($100), Melbourne-Sydney ($100), and Sydney-Hobart ($125). This totals to about $625 per member of the flight.

  • Minimum Cost: $28,125: 45*625
  • Maximum Cost: 50,000: 80*625

Surprised by these numbers? Note, that even though West Indies might not be the richest cricket board, Caribbean is still a pretty exotic place for travel.

6. Buses: $42,000-$105,000

What Does it Include?

Buses includes hiring a couple of drivers, tips for the drivers, and the cost to rent a charter bus. Each team will have a separate bus and there will also be a bus for support staff. According to Gogo Charters, it costs about £ 456-613 ($588-790) per day per charter bus, plus a 10% tip. We will estimate this around $700 per bus for a total of $2100 for three buses.

How Much will a 2-match Test series cost?

  • Average Cost: $42,000 ($2,100 * 20 days)

How Much will a 5-match Test series cost?

  • Average Cost: $105,000 ($2,100 * 50 days)
Embed from Getty Images

7. Hotels, Food, & Incidentals: $200,000-$2 million

What Does it Include?

According to the U.S. Department of State Foreign Per Diem Rates, “The maximum lodging amount is intended to substantially cover the cost of lodging at adequate, suitable and moderately-priced facilities. The M&IE portion is intended to substantially cover the cost of meals and incidental travel expenses such as laundry and dry cleaning.”

Cannot forget the dry cleaning and the laundry. Nobody wants stinky, smelly, and rainy tours.

For a reference, Adelaide’s Maximum Per Diem rate based on (1) Maximum Lodging Rate, (2) Meals & Incidentals is $324. Here is the estimate list for other Australian cities.

How Much will a 2-match Test series cost?

A two-Test series has a maximum of 10 days. However, we can consider one tour match, a couple days between each game, and a couple of days before/after the series for a total of 20 days.

The current Sri Lanka-Pakistan series is an 18-day affair for example. We will consider Galle’s per diem rate of $216 as an average (although it varies from city to city).

  • Minimum Cost: $194,400 (45 *$216*20)
  • Maximum Cost: $777,600 (80*216*20)

How Much will a 5-match Test series cost?

The 2023 Ashes takes place between June 16th and July 13th, totallng 45 days (without any tour matches). To keep it simple, we will take 50 days and the $526 per diem estimate for London.

  • Minimum Cost: $1,183,500 (45*526*50)
  • Maximum Cost: $2,104,000 (80*526*50)
Embed from Getty Images

8. Security & Support Staff: $100,000-400,000

What Does it Include?

This may include security guards, pitch curators, groundsperson, cleaners, stadium food organizers, support staff, pavilion steward’s, etc.

According to Glassdoor, a security guard in London earns annually £ 24,070 ($31,028 USD), a security officer earns about £ 26,383 ($34,000), and an assistant groundsperson earns about £ 22,000 ($ 28,000). The director of security and people in higher positions may earn £ 50,000-100,000 ($65,000-100,000).

We estimate around 50-100 support staff & security personnel are needed to make a Test match happen. We will take £ 20,000 ($26,000) as an average. We will estimate 1-month salary (1/12) for the 2-Test series & 2-month salary (1/6) for 5-Test series.

How Much will a 2-match Test series cost?

  • Minimum Cost: $108,350 ($2,167 *50)
  • Maximum Cost: $216,700 ($2,167*100)

How Much will a 5-match Test series cost?

  • Minimum Cost: $216,666.5 ($4133.33 * 50)
  • Maximum Cost: $413,333 ($4,133.33 * 100)
Embed from Getty Images

9. Facilities: $10,000-$20,000

What Does it Include?

  • Ground Covers: $3,000-4,000
  • Warm-Up Kookaburra balls: $7,500 (50 balls about $150 each)
  • Other/Miscellaneous Costs: $1,000-$10,000
Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

Case Studies & Quotes: Cost of Hosting a Test Match

Our estimates match with the interviews and situations that we have already seen. Here is the result of rising cost of hosting a Test match and the uneven monopoly of the Big 3 in world cricket today.

Situation 1: The COVID Comeback Season

The pandemic caused England to go to great measures to restart cricket.

For the West Indies and Pakistan series, they paid these countries £ 500,000 ($644,628) for charter flights. In addition, the per day cost was £ 238,000 ($306,842), while the season cost was 10 million pounds. One quote caught my eye.

“The good thing is they are England, and they expected to receive 120 Million pounds in ‘broadcast revenue.'”

Situation 2: Cricket Ireland Cancels Test Series

Ireland cancelled their plan of playing a Test match against Bangladesh and played a T20I instead.

“With the expected cost of hosting a Test estimated at 1 million pounds ($US 1.14 million), Cricket Ireland has chosen to prioritise white ball cricket ahead of the T20 World Cups.”

ESPN Cricinfo

Situation 3: Headingley Skips Ashes Test

“The Yorkshire chairman and chief executive, Colin Graves, had said the county would not bid to host an Ashes Test in 2013 or 2015 because, at a cost of £ 1-2 million, ‘it would represent too great a financial risk.’ ‘

– The Guardian

Situation 4: South Africa’s Problems Continue

South Africa will not be playing many Tests in the next FTP. They have, however, hosted a successful SA T20, which gives them hope fo a financial revival.

“CSA earns a tenth of the money on a Test that it will earn for a white ball match.”

– Firdose Moonda

Situation 5: Afghanistan vs West Indies match ends within 3 Days, Costs Money Nevertheless

“Take the Afghanistan v West Indies game in Lucknow. It finished in two and a half days, but all the people working on it have been booked for the five days. The grounds, the staff, the food, everything…it’s probably cost them US $200,000 to $300,000. Perhaps more. And if your yearly grant is to the tune of $ 4 million, that means you have spent close to 10% of your [yearly] budget on playing one Test match.”

– Alistair Campbell, interview

Situation 6: Hosts Nations Lose Money Hosting Tests

“For home boards, most Tests make a net loss of US $500,000.”

The Guardian

Situation 7: Zimbabwe vs West Indies 2017

According to ESPN Cricinfo, it cost the Zimbabwe cricket board $1 million to host a two-Test series against the West Indies.

“We do lost a lot of money – about $300,000-$400,000, to host a Test series. It’s money we don’t have.”

– Tavenga Mukuhlani, ZC Chairman

Situation 8: Playing Against India & the Big 3 the Only Hope (which is not sustainable)

“Unless it is against the Big 3, Cricket New Zealand loses about $700,000.”

– The Telegraph, Sydney Morning Herald

So, why do New Zealand, South Africa, & other countries lose money while hosting a Test series?

Expenses are only one part of the puzzle. Revenue is the other.

While the Big 3 has broadcasting profits on their sides, countries like Zimbabwe get as little as $1 million per season from sponsorship. A 2-Test series wipes out 20% of the annual reserves, and hence, they cannot afford to host Test matches.

The income, ticket sales, & sponsorship are not large income to balance the expenses of hosting a Test match.

Although New Zealand are a joy to watch in Test cricket and were also the winner of the inaugural WTC Final, they suffer from a similar economic fate.

What does the Future of Test Cricket Hold?

Revenue in cricket comes from (1) ticket sales, (2) broadcasting deals, (3) sponsorship deals, (4) ICC money, and (5) federal/state funding (depending on the country). While India is always on the net positive side due to their sheer volume of cricket fans, other countries unfortunately do not have similar infrastructure or fan following. Subsidizing Test cricket a part of a larger ICC Test fund has been suggested in the past, but is it enough?

Can Test cricket survive the rising costs? More importantly, will the ‘Middle 5’ – West Indies, South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka continue their investment in Test cricket?

Test cricket is actually thriving these days (See, Bazball), but the business model of Test cricket is dying.

Something needs to change quickly.

Otherwise, Test cricket started with the Ashes. It may also end in ashes.

If You Liked this, here are other Articles You Might Be Interested In

  1. Relegation & Promotion Proposal in World Test Championship: Make Test Cricket Great Again Part III
  2. Quota System in South African Cricket and Transformation Policy – The Complete Guide
  3. 15 Cricket Problems That Needs to Be Solved in the Next Decade | How to Fix Cricket 101
  4. How Can the World Test Championship Improve?
  5. Alternative World Test Championship Algorithm
  6. Make Test Cricket Great Again & Restore The Soul of this Wonderful Sport — Part II: The Problems With Test Cricket
  7. It’s Time T20 and Test Cricket Had a Separation
  8. 18 Best Test Matches in the Past 4 Years That Have Revived Test Cricket – Who Said Test Matches Are Boring?

Frequently Asked Questions – How Much Money Does it take to Host a Test Match

How much money does it take to host a Test match?

It takes around $350,000-$1.4 million to host a Test match.

Why does New Zealand only play a 2-Test series?

New Zealand only plays a 2-Test series so they do not incur too many losses financially.

Why does South Africa lose money while hosting Test matches?

South Africa loses money while hosting Test matches because it costs about a million dollars to host a Test, while the revenues are not as high.

Is Test cricket dying?

Test cricket itself is thriving, but the financial death of Test cricket is imminent. The business model of Test cricket needs to change.

Source: ESPNCricinfo Report

Sources: The MCC Wants to Know How Much it Costs to Host a Test Match, The Daily Mail, Ireland Cancel Home Test, Sydney Morning Herald

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, LLC 2023. Originally published on 07/25/2023. 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).

155 Greatest Cricketers of All Time (Men’s): Who are the Best Players in Cricket History? (Updated 2023)

It’s time to discuss the greatest cricketers of all time. This ultimate list will feature 155 top cricketers across formats and eras—from WG Grace to Kieron Pollard.

Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo just retired as players from the IPL and left their imprints on T20 cricket. As T20s evolve and become central to the cricketing universe, why not make a list of the greatest cricketers of all time across formats and eras?

Contents

Key Takeaways

  • Over 250 cricketers were considered for this list. We consider Tests, ODIs, T20Is, T20 leagues, and first-class cricket played over 145 years.
  • Sir Donald Bradman is chosen as the Greatest Cricketer of All-Time with WG Grace, Sachin Tendulkar, Jack Hobbs, Shane Warne, Frank Worrell, and Sir Garfield Sobers close behind.
  • England (40), Australia (31), West Indies (24) dominated the list due to their rich first class and World Cup histories. The breakdown of the rest of the countries are as follows: India (14), Pakistan (13), South Africa (12), Sri Lanka (10), New Zealand (7), Zimbabwe (1), Afghanistan(1), and Bangladesh (1).

Also Read:

156-177 Best Cricketers: Unlucky to Miss Out

Those who were unlucky to miss out were:

Charles Bannerman, Johnny Tyldesley, Subhash Gupte, Mitchell Johnson, Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, David Warner, Jeff Thompson, Shahid Afridi, Mark Waugh, Makhaya Ntini, Mike Brearley, Harbhajan Singh, Glenn Turner, Ben Stokes, Cheteshwar Pujara, Lance Klusener, Yuvraj Singh, Ian Healy, Vijay Hazare, Trent Boult, Ian Chappell, Saeed Ajmal

155 Greatest Cricketers of All Time: The Ultimate List

Picking the Top 155 players was a tough task, but do you know what was even tougher? Ranking them.

Without furthur ado, here is the list. Enjoy the classic photography and check out the videos linked under some players.

Disclaimer: The ranking is most likely going to not align with your views. Expect the unexpected. Several ‘great’ cricketers did not make the list (see the extended list of honorable mentions below) but the ones that did fundamentally helped change the game. Feel free to comment below on players who you think should be in the list.

155. Learie ‘Lord’ Baron Constantine (West Indies, 1921-1939)

Major Teams: West Indies, Barbados, Freelooters, Trinidad

An allrounder by trade, Constantine was one of West Indies’ early stars. More than his on-field accomplishments, he made an impact as a lawyer, politician, and Trinidad & Tobago’s High Commissioner to the UK.

Embed from Getty Images

154. Alan Davidson (Australia, 1949-1963)

Major Teams: Australia, New South Wales

An Australian left-arm pacer who “would be the most menacing new-ball bowler of his day” and was a handy batter in the lower order—The original Mitchell Johnson and Mitch Starc.

Embed from Getty Images

153. Mitchell Starc (Australia, 2009-)

Major Teams: Australia, Australia U-19, New South Wales, Sydney Sixers, Yorkshire, Royal Challengers Bangalore

Speaking of Australian left arm pacers, Mitchell Starc. His World Cup exploits are alone to guarantee him a spot in the all-time list. Player of the Tournament when he helped Australia lift the trophy in 2015, he bettered himself in 2019 with the record tally of 27 wickets. Starc’s yorkers, early swing, and ability to clean up tails will be remembered forever.

Embed from Getty Images

152. Stan McCabe (Australia, 1928-1942)

Major Teams: Australia, New South Wales

Playing alongside Don Bradman, he was often overshadowed but was said to be a beautiful batter to watch. Even Sir Len Hutton remarked, “It would be hard to think of a greater Australian batsman. He had qualities that even Bradman hadn’t got.”He is best known for scoring 385 runs in that infamous Bodyline series.

Embed from Getty Images

151. Sir Conrad Hunte (West Indies, 1950-1967)

Wisden remarks the Hunte “was one of the greatest West Indian batsmen of a great generation.” Even the great Desmond Haynes picked Hunte over himself in the All-Time Barbados XI “because he was simply the better batsman.”

Embed from Getty Images

150. Godfrey Evans (England, 1939-1967)

Major Teams: England, Kent

ESPNCricinfo states that Evans was “arguably the best wicketkeeper the world has ever seen.” Played 91 Tests and even scored a couple of tons. Inflicted 1066 dismissals in his first-class career.

Embed from Getty Images

149. Marvan Atapattu (Sri Lanka, 1988-2007)

Major Teams: Sri Lanka, Delhi Giant, Sinhalese Sports Club

From 0,0.0,1,0,0 to establishing himself as the backbone of Sri Lanka’s Test batting seven years later and ending with six double centuries is a beautiful story. Decent ODI player with 8500 runs as well.

Embed from Getty Images

148. Hugh Tayfield (South Africa, 1945-1963)

Major Teams: South Africa, Rhodesia, Natal, Transvaal

Wisden remarks that Tayfield was “one of the greatest off spinners the game has ever seen.” Once took 9/113 in an innings.

Embed from Getty Images

147. Sunil Narine (West Indies, 2009-)

Major Teams: West Indies, West Indies U-19s, Barisal Burners, Cape Cobras, Comilla Victorians, Dhaka Dynamites, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Kolkata Knight Riders, Lahore Qalandars, Melbourne Renegades, Montreal Tigers, Oval Invincibles, Quetta Gladiators, Sydney Sixers, Trinbago Knight Riders, Trinidad & Tobago

Redefined three aspects of the T20 game—economical spin bowling, the mystery spin, and pinch hitting.

Embed from Getty Images

146. Mulvantrai ‘Vinoo’ Mankad (India, 1935-1962)

Major Teams: India, Bengal, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Mumbai, Rajasthan, Nawanagar

Although his name is infamously slandered for non-strikers run out, he was actually “one of the greatest allrounders India ever produced.”

Embed from Getty Images

145. Richie Benaud (Australia, 1948-1964)

Major Teams: Australia, New South Wales

Before he was the voice of cricket, he was remembered as one of Australia’s greatest captains. His aggressive captaincy led to the first tied Test in cricket’s history. As a leg spinning allrounder, he was the first man to complete the double of 200 Test wickets and 2000 runs.

Embed from Getty Images

144. Rohit Sharma (India, 2006-)

Major Teams: India, India U-19, Deccan Chargers, Mumbai Indians, Mumbai

264, 209, 208*, 171*, 162, 159, 152*, 150.

An ODI legend with a penchant for the mammoth hundreds. Easy on the eye, one of the best IPL captains, a T20 World Cup winner, and one of the best pullers the game has ever seen.

Embed from Getty Images

143. Bob Simpson (Australia, 1952-1978)

Major Teams: Australia, New South Wales, Western Australia

Played the third longest Test innings (743 balls) when he scored 311 against England in 1964. A leg-spinner allrounder who became an opening Test batter is a noteworthy achievement.

Embed from Getty Images

142. Peter May (England, 1950-1963)

Major Teams: England, Cambridge University, Surrey

Although he had a decent Test career, his first-class stats are outrageous—27592 runs with 85 hundreds.

Embed from Getty Images

141. Saeed Anwar (Pakistan, 1986-2003)

Major Teams: Pakistan, Karachi, Lahore, United Bank Limited, Agriculture Development Bank of Pakistan

A graceful left-hander, his 194 withstood the test of time until Sachin Tendulkar’s 200 broke his record. Anwar was the highest scoring opener in the 1990s in ODI cricket.

Embed from Getty Images

140. Sir Clyde Walcott (West Indies, 1941-1964)

Major Teams: West Indies, Barbados, British Guiana

One of the famous ‘3 Ws’ in West Indies’ middle order, he was a steady cog of West Indies’ middle order. 15 Test hundreds, 40 first class centuries, and Test average of 56.68. Fun fact, Walcott holds the record for the fewest ducks in career.

Also See: Sir Frank Worrell (#6), Sir Clyde Walcott (#134)

Embed from Getty Images

139. Ted Dexter (England, 1956-1968)

Major Teams: England, Sussex, Cambridge University

Dexter scored 21150 first class runs with 51 centuries and had a 62-match Test career. He was known was his counter-attacking style of play.

Embed from Getty Images

138. Sir Everton Weekes (West Indies, 1944-1964)

Major Teams: West Indies, Barbados

Weekes was one of the best in his time. Centuries in five consecutive innings, joint fastest to a 1000 Test runs, and ended with a Test average of 58.61.

Embed from Getty Images

137. Shoaib Akhtar (Pakistan, 1994-2011)

Major Teams: Pakistan, Agriculture Development Bank of Pakistan, Chittagong Division, Durham, Islamabad Leopards, Khan Research Labs, Kolkata Knight Riders, Pakistan International Airlines, Rawalpindi, Somerset, Surrey, Worcestershire

An icon for Pakistan cricket and inspiration for fast bowlers around the world. Bowled the fastest recorded delivery at 161.3 kph, it’s a shame that injuries meant he had a start-stop career.

Also See: Brett Lee (#111), his chief competitor in the Pace Race.

Embed from Getty Images

136. Basil D’Oliveira (England, 1964-1980)

Major Teams: England, Worcestershire

There’s a good reason why the England-South Africa trophy is named Basil D’Oliveira Trophy. As a South African-born mixed player, he was picked for England during the Apartheid era (known as the Oliveira affair). With 19,490 first class runs & important social legacy, he was named as South Africa’s Top 10 players of the century despite never representing the Proteas.

Embed from Getty Images

135. Andy Flower (Zimbabwe, 1986-2006)

Major Teams: Zimbabwe, Essex, South Australia

The greatest Zimbabwean batter and scored the highest runs in an innings by any keeper (232*). Over 11,000 international runs across formats, Flower lead the way during Zimbabwe’s golden years.

Embed from Getty Images

134. Wes Hall (West Indies, 1955-1971)

Major Teams: West Indies, Barbados, Queensland, Trinidad

The earliest in West Indies’ great line of pacers. Could bowl “close to 100 mph” and ended with 192 Test & 546 first class wickets.

Embed from Getty Images

133. Rod Marsh (Australia, 1968-1984)

Major Teams: Australia, Western Australia

The most prolific bowler-keeper combination in the history of Test cricket is “c Rod Marsh, b Dennis Lillee” (95). World record holder for most Test dismissals at the time of his retirement, he was the best keeper Australia produced…until Ian Healy & Adam Gilchrist surpassed him.

Embed from Getty Images

132. VVS Laxman (India, 1992-2012)

Major Teams: India, Deccan Chargers, Hyderabad, Kochi Tuskers Kerala, Lancashire

If you played the greatest innings of the twenty-first century, THAT 281*, you deserve to be on this list. Had a stellar Test career of performing under pressure with the lower order (and frequent back spasms).

Embed from Getty Images

131. Stephen Fleming (New Zealand, 1991-2008)

Major Teams: New Zealand, Canterbury, Chennai Super Kings, Middlesex, Nottinghamshire, Wellington, Yorkshire

Solid opening batter & more importantly, a captain that stabilized New Zealand cricket.

Embed from Getty Images

130. Andy Roberts (West Indies, 1969-1984)

Major Teams: West Indies, Combined Islands, Leeward Islands, Hampshire, Leicestershire, New South Wales

The face of West Indies’ pace quartet, his bouncers were ruthless. Apart from his 202 Test wickets, also had an effective ODI career—87 wickets at 20.35.

Embed from Getty Images

129. Martin Crowe (New Zealand, 1979-1996)

Major Teams: New Zealand, Auckland, Central Districts, Wellington, Somerset

The greatest New Zealand batter of his generation and definitely one of the best captains. Hamstring Injury in the 1992 World Cup semi-final was a huge factor in their defeat. Apart from his cricketing talent, was one of the leading thinkers of the game.

Embed from Getty Images

128. Clarrie Grimmett (Australia, 1911-1941)

Major Teams: Australia, South Australia, Victoria, Wellington

Credited for inventing the flipper, he was the second fastest to 200 Test wickets (and fastest before Yasir Shah) and the second oldest to take ten wickets in a Test match (44 years). New Zealand born Australian player.

Embed from Getty Images

127. Tom Graveney (England, 1948-1972)

Major Teams: England, Queensland, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire

Another first-class giant—732 FC matches, 47.793 runs, 122 hundreds, and 233 fifties. Had a decent 79-Test career as well

Embed from Getty Images

126. Arjuna Ranatunga (Sri Lanka, 1981-2001)

Major Teams: Sri Lanka, Sinhalese Sports Club

World Cup winning captain and helped propel Sri Lanka to the global stage. With over 7000 ODI runs, was a useful left-handed middle order batter.

Embed from Getty Images

125. Greg Chappell (Australia, 1966-1984)

Major Teams: Australia, New South Wales

Regarded as one of the best batters to ever don the baggy green. 7110 runs with 24 Test tons at 53.86 looks especially great given that batted in the era of the ferocious West Indian attack.

Embed from Getty Images

124. David Gower (England, 1975-1993)

Major Teams: England, Hampshire, Leicestershire

One of the most elegant left-handed batters to play the game. 8,231 Test runs, 18 Test centuries, and 117 matches. Solid.

Embed from Getty Images

123. Michael Holding (West Indies, 1972-1989)

Major Teams: West Indies, Canterbury, Derbyshire, Jamaica, Lancashire, Tasmania

Although 249 Test wickets at an average of 23.68 & 50.9 strike rate already puts him in the top echelons of world cricket, it was his impact with sheer pace and that menacing action that took him to the next level. An iconic commentator as well.

Embed from Getty Images

122. Kieron Pollard (West Indies, 2007-)

Major Teams: West Indies, West Indies U-19, Adelaide Strikers, Barbados Tridents, Cape Cobras, Deccan Gladiators, Dhaka Dynamites, Karachi Kings, Kerala Kings, London Spirit, Melbourne Renegades, Multan Sultans, Mumbai Indians, Peshawar Zalmi, Somerset, South Australia, St. Lucia Stars, Stanford Superstars, Toronoto Nationals, Trinbago Knight Riders, Trinidad, Welsh Fire

With almost 12,000 T20 Runs at 150.25 SR, batting predominantly at the lower order, Kieron Pollard was arguably the first bona fide T20 globetrotter. A pioneer in T20 power-hitting and mainstay for the Mumbai Indians in their 5-peat, he was a crucial member of West Indies’ 2012 T20 World Cup victory.

Embed from Getty Images

121. Michael Clarke (Australia, 2000-2015)

Major Teams: Australia, New South Wales, Hampshire, Pune Warriors

Had one of the greatest peaks of a Test batter. 1595 runs at 106.33 with 5 hundreds, including a 329* and a couple of double hundreds. Captain of Australia’s 2015 World Cup victory.

Embed from Getty Images

120. Mark Boucher (South Africa, 1995-2012)

Major Teams: South Africa, Border, Cape Cobras, Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bangalore

The wicketkeeper during South Africa’s golden generation and the most prolific keeper of all-time. Unfortunately, a bail hitting his eye ended his career. Played 147 Tests and inflicted an iconic 999 international dismissals (555 Tests, 425 ODIs, 19 T20Is).

I will remember him for hitting the winning runs in that famous 434-438 match.

Embed from Getty Images

119. Aravinda de Silva (Sri Lanka, 1983-2002)

Major Teams: Sri Lanka, Nondescripts Cricket Club, Kent, Auckland

107*(124), 3/42, & 2 catches—One of the best performances in a World Cup final. With over 15,000 international runs, Aravinda played his part in bringing Sri Lanka to the top tiers of world cricket.

Embed from Getty Images

118. Joel Garner (West Indies, 1975-1992)

At 6 ft 8 inches, Garner towered above all and provided West Indies with that extra edge. With 259 Test wickets at 20.97 and 146 ODI wickets, he was one of the best. Holds the record for the best ODI economy (3.09) and won the 1979 WC final with a 5/38 show.

Embed from Getty Images

117. Abdul Qadir (Pakistan, 1975-1994)

Major Teams: Pakistan, Punjab, Lahore, Habib Bank Limited

One of the best leg spinners of all time. What a classic action.

Embed from Getty Images

116. Allan Donald (South Africa, 1985-2004)

Major Teams: South Africa, Free State, Warwickshire, Worcesterershire

Before there was Steyn, Morne Morkel, Makhaya Ntini, and Kagiso Rabada, there was Allan Donald. Bowled with menace and one of South Africa’s premier icons after they were reinstated in international cricket. Will also be remembered to be at the receiving end in the most infamous run-out of them all.”

Also Read: 16 South Africa World Cup Chokes and Heartbreaks: The Complete List

Embed from Getty Images

Major Teams: West Indies, Barbados, Somerset, South Australia

115. Brett Lee (Australia, 1999-2012)

Major Teams: Australia, Kings XI Punjab, Kolkata Knight Riders, New South Wales, Otago, Sydney Sixers, Wellington

Probably the smoothest fast bowling action of all time. Over 700 international wickets, never compromised on pace despite injuries, THAT chainsaw celebration, and ended cricket career with a magnificent final over in the Big Bash.

Also See: Shoaib Akthar.

Embed from Getty Images

114. Hashim Amla (South Africa, 2004-)

Major Teams: South Africa, Barbados Tridents, Cape Cobras, Derbyshire, Dolphins, Essex, Khulna Tigers, Kings XI Punjab KwaZulu-Natal, Surrey, Trinbago Knight Riders

Elegant, high-class opener, and a massively underrated ODI batter. 55 International centuries, fastest to 7000 ODI runs, a triple centurion, partnership maker. From blockathons to two hundreds in T20 cricket, versatility was Amla’s strength.

Embed from Getty Images

113. Kevin Pietersen (England, 1997-2018)

Major Teams: England, Deccan Chargers, Delhi Daredevils, Dolphins, Hampshire, KwaZulu-Natal, Melbourne Stars, Nottinghamshire, Quetta Gladiators, Rising Pune Supergiants, Royal Challengers Bangalore, St. Lucia Zouks, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Surrey

The ODI series against home country, South Africa, would sum up his career. Had his doubters early on with the rebel style, but his gameplay was too good to ignore. The 2005 Ashes, 2010 T20 World Cup, and 2012 Test series victory in India. England legend, just left with self-inflicted unfortunate circumstances.

Also Read: 42 South African Born Cricketers Who Play for Other Countries: Can You Guess Them All?

Embed from Getty Images

112. Saqlain Mushtaq (Pakistan, 1995-2008)

Major Teams: Pakistan, Islamabad Cricket Association, Lahore Badshahs, Pakistan International Airlines, Surrey, Sussex

Fastest bowler to take 250 ODI wickets, most wickets ever in a calendar year (twice), and most famously known for bringing the ‘Doosra’ to prominence.

Embed from Getty Images

111. Michael Bevan (Australia, 1989-2006)

Major Teams: Australia, Tasmania, New South Wales, Yorkshire, Kent, Leicestershire, Sussex

Before MS Dhoni, Michael Bevan pioneered the ‘finisher’ role in ODI cricket. Averaging 53.98 after 232 matches, remaining unbeaten and hitting last-ball boundaries to win matches was his specialty.

Embed from Getty Images

110. Hedley Verity (England, 1930-1939)

Major Teams: England, Yorkshire

1956 first class wickets at 14.90 average with best figures for 10/10 in an innings. Died as a prisoner of war in World War II.

Embed from Getty Images

109. Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka, 1999-2019)

Major Teams: Sri Lanka, Kandurata Maroons, Moors Sports Club, Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club, Wayamba, Surrey, Hampshire

A specialist of sorts. If ever a bowler was needed on spinning tracks in the fourth innings, it was Herath. 433 Test wickets and Sri Lanka’s only hope in the transition years.

Embed from Getty Images

108. Kane Williamson (New Zealand, 2007-)

Major Teams: New Zealand, New Zealand U-19, Northern Districts, Yorkshire, Gloucestershire, Edmonton Royals, Sunrisers Hyderabad

The best batter New Zealand ever produced and a shrewd captain. Lead the Kiwis to their first global title along with the 2019 ODI World Cup final.

Also Read: World Test Championship Final Review 2021

Embed from Getty Images

107. Rashid Khan (Afghanistan, 2015-)

Major Teams: Afghanistan, Afghanistan U-19, Kabul, Adelaide Strikers, Gujarat Titans, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Barbados Tridents, Comilla Victorians, Durban Heat, Kabul Eagles, Lahore Qalandars, Maratha Arabians, MI Cape Town, MI Emirates, Nangahar Leopards, Quetta Gladiators, St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots, Sussex, Trent Rockets

Not many have seen a rise as exponential as Rashid Khan has in cricket. 501 T20 wickets in 374 T20 matches. Already a legend and sought out for, he has played in almost every league around the world. Afghanistan cricket rises when Rashid Khan rises.

Embed from Getty Images

106. Virender Sehwag (India, 1997-2015)

Major Teams: India, Delhi Leicestershire, Delhi Daredevils, Kings XI Punjab

You would think aggressive batting meant Sehwag would be dangerous in limited overs cricket. He was, but he truly changed the role of the opening batter in Test cricket. First ball boundaries and hitting double centuries in a single day was his forte. 319, 309, and 293 will be remembered forever.

Embed from Getty Images

105. Lance Gibbs (West Indies, 1953-1976)

Major Teams: West Indies, British Guiana, South Australia, Warwickshire

First spinner to pass 300 wickets and accumulated 1024 first class wickets, he will go down as West Indies’ greatest Test spinner. Has a Test hat-trick and once bowled a miserly spell of 53.3-37-38-8. Wow.

Embed from Getty Images

104. Brendon McCullum (New Zealand, 1999-2019)

Major Teams: New Zealand, Brisbane Heat, Canterbury, Chennai Super Kings, Glamorgan, Gujarat Lions, Kochi Tuskers Kerela, Kolkata Knight Riders, Lahore Qalandars, New South Wales, Otago, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Sussex, Toronto Nationals, Trinbago Knight Riders, Warwickshire

Match after match, captain McCullum would announce that this journey was ‘the time of their lives’ in the 2015 World Cup hosted at home. Took New Zealand to the World Cup finals for the first time, brought NZ out of lows of 2012, and for all his T20 exploits, had the skill to score 302 vs India I’m a Test match. Retired with the fastest Test century of all-time. Also credited for launching the IPL with a remarkable 158.

Embed from Getty Images

103. Arthur Morris (Australia, 1940-1955)

Major Teams: Australia, New South Wales

One of the best Ashes batters, a member of the ‘Invincibles,’ Australian army man during World War II, and a rugby player, Morris can truly say he did it all.

Embed from Getty Images

102. Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka, 2001-2020)

Major Teams: Sri Lanka, Galle Cricket Club, Kandy, Kent, Galle Gladiators, Jamaica Tallawahs, St. Lucia Zouks, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Melbourne Stars, Rangpur Riders, Southern Express, Kent, Mumbai Indians

Malinga built a career out of pinpoint accurate yorkers and a slingy action. 4 wickets in 4 balls, couple of other hat-tricks, a T20 World Cup, and several IPL trophies with Mumbai Indians. Simply a legend.

Also Read: Lasith Malinga: The Slinga, Slayer, and SuperStar

Embed from Getty Images

101. Shane Watson (Australia, 2000-2016)

Major Teams: Australia, Australia U-19, New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, Brisbane Heat, Sydney Sixers, Sydney Thunder, Canterbury, Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rajasthan Royals, Dhaka Dynamites, Rangpur Rangers, Islamabad United, Quetta Gladiators, St. Lucia Zouks

History will regard Shane Watson in awe. Gifted with a rare combination of skills, he established himself as a fast-bowling order who could bat in the top order. Player of the tournament in the 2012 T20 World Cup, 2008 & 2013 IPLs, the 2009 Champions Trophy, and key play-off knocks with CSK in the 2019 IPL, he stood up on the big occasions. A successful Test opener between 2009-10 alongside Simon Katich speaks to his versatility.

Embed from Getty Images

List of the 100 Greatest Cricketers of All Time

The Top 100 cricketers of all time will at least consist of all the 10,000 runs scorers (either format), or members of the 500+ (Test), 400+ (ODI) wicket taker group.

100. Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka, 1993-2017)

Major Teams: Sri Lanka, Basnahira South, Bloomfield Cricket and Athletic Club, Delhi Daredevils, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Kalutara Town Club, Karachi Kings, Northern Districts, Peshawar Zalmi, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Sebastianites Cricket and Athletic Club, Singha Sports Club, Surrey, Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club

Dilshan is one of the most innovative cricketers of the modern era. Known for ‘The Dilscoop,’ he was one of the pillars of the Sri Lankan in their 2014 T20 World Cup victory, along with numerous other finals between 2007-2014. Also a handy off-spinner & acrobatic fielder.

Also Read: My Favorite Player from Each Country: Unity In Diversity XI – #5 Will Shock You

Embed from Getty Images

99. Sourav Ganguly (1989-2012)

Major Teams: India, Bengal, Glamorgan, Lancashire, Northamptonshire, Kolkata Knight Riders, Pune Warriors

Changed how India was viewed. Captained India to the 2003 World Cup final and several overseas Test victories. I will forever remember him for his ODI exploits and down the ground sixes.

Embed from Getty Images

98. Monty Noble (Australia, 1893-1920)

Major Teams: Australia, South Australia, Queensland, Somerset

Noble is “regarded as the greatest Australian all-rounder ever produced by Australia.” In all, he took 624 first class wickets and hit 37 centuries as well.

Embed from Getty Images

97. Younis Khan (Pakistan, 1998-2018)

Major Teams: Pakistan, Surrey, Nottinghamshire, Warwickshire, Yorkshire, South Australia, Rajasthan Royals

One of the only constants in Pakistan’s era of uncertainty. 10,000 runs Test runs, crisis man in the 4th innings, solid ODI batter & slip fielder, and a T20 World Cup winning captain.

Embed from Getty Images

96. Neil Harvey (Australia, 1946-1963)

Major Teams: Australia, South Australia, Victoria

One of the best Australia ever had. In just 79-Tests, he scored 21 tons and 24 half centuries. The fourth fastest to a 1000 Test runs.

Embed from Getty Images

95. Bishan Singh Bedi (India, 1961-1982)

Major Teams: India, Delhi, Northern Punjab, Northamptonshire

Part of India’s spin quartet, Bedi had it all—the flight, guile, turn, and grace. With plenty of county experience, he ended with a mammoth 1560 first class wickets.

Embed from Getty Images

94. Nathan Lyon (Australia, 2011-)

Major Teams: Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, Adelaide Strikers, Sydney Strikers

A mainstay in Australia’s bowling line up. Bowling on Australian pitches for the majority of his career, Lyon became the tireless figure. Consistent line and length. Ball after ball. For an entire decade. 450+ Test wickets and counting.

Embed from Getty Images

93. Inzamam Ul Haq (Pakistan, 1986-2007)

Major Teams: Pakistan, Faisalabad, Multan, Rawalpindi, Yorkshire

Forever taunted for the run-outs, hit-wickets, and fitness issues, Inzamam ul-Haq was the catalyst to Pakistan’s 1992 world cup win. Scored almost 12,000 ODI and 9,000 Test runs. Beautiful to watch.

Embed from Getty Images

92. Ross Taylor (New Zealand, 2002-2022)

Major Teams: New Zealand, New Zealand U-10, Central Districts, Durham, Sussex, Middlesex, Victoria, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Jamaica Tallawahs, St. Lucia Zouks, Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel, Victoria, Delhi Daredevils, Pune Warriors, Rajasthan Royals

The best #4 ODI batter of all-time and between 2016-19, was the best ODI batter. Started as a leg side slogger and became a steady middle order batter. Nice to sign off with an unbeaten knock in New Zealand’s WTC win.

Also Read: Ross Taylor, An Underrated Cricketer Who Was A Giant Among New Zealand’s Greatest Generation

Embed from Getty Images

91. Dwayne Bravo (West Indies, 2001-)

Major Teams: West Indies, Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Gujarat Lions, Chittagong Kings, Comilla Victorians, Dhaka Dynamites, Dolphins, Essex, Fortune Barishal, Kent, Lahore Qalandars, Maratha Arabians, Melbourne Renegades, Northern Superchargers, Paarl Rocks, Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta Gladiators, St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots, Surrey, Sydney Sixers, Trinbago Knight Riders, Trinidad & Tobago, Victoria, Winnipeg Hawks

614 T20 wickets, highest T20 wicket-taker of all time. Could hit sixes and bowl slow yorkers at will. A modern-day legend for the West Indies.

Embed from Getty Images

90. Stuart Broad (England, 2005-)

Major Teams: England, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Kings XI Punjab, Hobart Hurricanes

Statistically, the second highest fast bowling wicket-taker of all-time. Speaks of his fitness. Could get hit for six sixes or bowl spells to remember forever. At one point, also a handy batter down the order.

Embed from Getty Images

89. Daniel Vettori (New Zealand, 1996-2015)

Major Teams: New Zealand, Northern Districts, Nottinghamshire, Warwickshire, Queensland, Delhi Daredevils, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Jamaica Tallawahs

705 international wickets, 6 Test hundreds, youngest Test player for New Zealand. One of the underrated greats of the game.

Embed from Getty Images

88. Ravichandran Ashwin (India, 2010-)

Major Teams: India, Tamil Nadu, Chennai Super Kings, Rising Pune Supergiants, Delhi Capitals, Kings XI Punjab, Rajasthan Royals, Nottinghamshire, Worcestershire

5 Test Hundreds. One of the greatest off spinners of all-time. Removed the stigma of non-strikers run-out almost single-handedly. Pioneered the ‘retired out’ in T20 cricket. Improved his batting to be a #3 in T20s, a decent finisher, Test match blockathon-specialist, off-spinner, leg-spinner, mystery spin, carrom ball. Has a succesfful YouTube channel. Cricket improviser at his absolute best. Ahead of his times.

Embed from Getty Images

87. Jim Laker (England, 1946-1965)

10/53 & 19/90, Test figures that took Laker into greatness. With 1944 first class wickets, he had a stellar career throughout.

Major Teams: England, Essex, Surrey, Auckland

Embed from Getty Images

86. Alan Knott (England, 1964-1985)

Major Teams: England, Kent, Tasmania

5 Test hundreds as a wicketkeeper, he was highly rated behind the stumps.

Embed from Getty Images

85. Ray Lindwall (Australia, 1941-1962)

Major Teams: Australia, South Australia, Queensland

With a smooth action, Lindwall was Australia’s premier swing bowlers. Retired with 228 Test wickets and two centuries.

Embed from Getty Images

84. Michael ‘Colin’ Cowdrey (England, 1950-1976)

Major Teams: England, Gentlemen, Oxford University, Kent

Cowdrey was the first man to play 100 Tests. His exploits in first class cricket are well known—42719 runs, 107 hundreds.

Embed from Getty Images

83. Sir Geoffrey Boycott OBE (England, 1962-1986)

Major Teams: England, Yorkshire, Northern Transvaal

Although Boycott had his troubles off the field, on the field, he was one of the great ones. In his era, not many scored more than his 151 first class hundreds and 8114 Test runs.

Embed from Getty Images

82. Keith ‘Nugget’ Miller (Australia, 1937-1959)

Major Teams: Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, Nottinghamshire

Miller is regarded as Australia’s greatest ever all-rounder. Although 2958 runs & 170 Test wickets flatter to deceive now, it was the best figures for an allrounder at the time.

Embed from Getty Images

81. Aubrey Faulkner (South Africa, 1902-1924)

Regarded as “one of the greatest allrounders,” he opened both the batting and bowling at times. Based on ESPNCricinfo’s weighted allrounder analysis, Aubrey Faulkner just edges out Keith Miller.

Major Teams: South Africa, Transvaal, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC)

Embed from Getty Images

80. Ken Barrington (England, 1953-1968)

Major Teams: England, Surrey

Perhaps England’s greatest middle order batter. Now has the ninth highest Test average (58.67) after 82 Tests.

Embed from Getty Images

79. Graham Gooch (England, 1973-2000)

Major Teams: England, Essex, Western Province

Graham Gooch has perhaps scored the most runs. EVER. 44,846 First Class runs with 128 hundreds & 217 fifties to go along with 22, 211 List A runs with 44 hundreds and 139 fifties. In international cricket, he amassed 8900 Test runs, 4200 ODI runs, and 28 tons overall.

Embed from Getty Images

78. Graeme Smith (South Africa, 1999-2014)

Major Teams: South Africa, Gauteng, Western Province, Somerset, Surrey, Cape Cobras, Rajasthan Royals

One of the greatest captains and grittiest opening batters of all-time. Batting with a broken hand against Mitchell Johnson in attempt to save a Test match will go down as one of the most courageous acts on the cricket field.

Also Read: Top 11 Cricketers Who Retired Too Early – The Lost Generation

Embed from Getty Images

77. Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka, 1990-2012)

Major Teams: Sri Lanka, Basnahira North, Colts Cricket Club, Deccan Chargers, Hampshire, Middlesex, Northamptonshire, Worcestershire

The only player to take 8 wickets in an ODI match and the spearhead of Sri Lanka’s fast bowling attack with 781 international wickets. Has a World Cup hat-trick, Test hundred, and ODI fifty as well.

Embed from Getty Images

76. Sir Gordon Greenidge (West Indies, 1970-1992)

Major Teams: West Indies, Barbados, Hampshire

In modern cricket, one of the most dominant opening batters. 7558 Test runs and 37354 runs with 92 centuries. Had a stellar ODI career as well in World Cups—highest scorer of the 1979 World Cup.

Also See: Desmond Haynes (#69)

Embed from Getty Images

75. Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh, 2005-)

Major Teams: Bangladesh, Khulna Division, Dhaka Gladiators, Fortune Barishal, Adelaide Strikers, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kolkata Knight Riders, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Jamaica Tallawahs, Worcestershire, Karachi Kings, Peshawar Zalmi

One of the greatest all-rounders in the modern era. If the pitch has something to offer, his left-arm spin is tricky to tackle. A great show at #3 in the 2019 World Cup. In one phrase, a living legend of Bangladesh.

Also Read: Why Shakib And Co are the True Fab 5 of this Era

Embed from Getty Images

74. Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka, 1988-2012)

Major Teams: Sri Lanka, Colombo Cricket Club, Somerset, Mumbai Indians

Apart from Sachin Tendulkar, he has the most man of the match awards. Revolutionized ODI powerplay batting in 1996, and a great asset with the ball as well.

Embed from Getty Images

73. Matthew Hayden (Australia, 1991-2012)

Major Teams: Australia, Queensland, Hampshire, Northamptonshire, Chennai Super Kings, Brisbane Heat

An epic conversion rate (30-100s, 29-50s) and one of the most dominant openers of the generation. Dancing down the wicket with broad shoulders, he sent tremors in the opposition bowlers.

Embed from Getty Images

72. Alec Bedser (England, 1939-1960)

With 1924 first-class and 236 Test wickets under his name, Bedser is one of England’s most prolific swing bowlers.

Major Teams: England, Surrey

Embed from Getty Images

71. Sir Alastair Cook (England, 2003-)

Major Teams: England, Essex

First England player to score 10,000 Test runs, Cook was the key constructor of England’s Ashes 2010 and India 2012 victories. Survived as an opener in one of the toughest eras to play fast and swing bowling. Best England Test batter (until Joe Root that is).

Embed from Getty Images

70. Desmond Haynes (West Indies, 1976-1997)

Major Teams: West Indies, Barbados, Middlesex, Western Province

Making one half of the third-highest Test partnership (6482 with Greenidge) of all time (and highest at the time), Haynes was a modern-day giant. In ODI cricket, he scored 8,648 runs with 17 centuries, a record that stood until 1998.

Embed from Getty Images

69. Mohammad Yousuf (Pakistan, 1996-2011)

Major Teams: Pakistan, Lahore, Lancashire, Warwickshire

One of the most elegant batters of all-time. Scored 1788 runs in 2006 with 9 hundreds and 3 fifties, still a Test record.

Embed from Getty Images

68. Robert George Dylan ‘Bob’ Willis (England, 1969-1984)

Major Teams: England, Surrey, Warwickshire, Northern Transvaal

One of the fastest English bowlers. Despite injuries, he took 325 Test wickets and played 90 Tests. Longevity and England fast bowlers is a common theme.

Embed from Getty Images

67. Joe Root (England, 2010-)

Major Teams: England, Yorkshire, Trent Rockets

After being criticized for not converting fifties into hundreds, Joe Root’s stellar 2021 etched his name into greatness—1708 runs with six daddy hundreds. An ODI World Cup winner as well.

Embed from Getty Images

66. Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka, 1997-2015)

Major Teams: Sri Lanka, Sinhalese Sports Club, Delhi Daredevils, Kings XI Punjab

Class batter. 11,000 runs+ in each format. Most runs on a single ground (2921 runs in Sinhalese, Colombo), seven double hundreds, and a knack for long-partnerships.

Also See: Kumar Sangakkara (#51)

Embed from Getty Images

65. Sir Clive Lloyd (West Indies, 1963-1986)

Major Teams: West Indies, British Guiana, Lancashire

One of the most recognized left-handers in the game with the glasses & moustache, his calm demeanor was the feature that stood out the most. Playing over 100 Test matches and 490 first class matches, it was his captaincy with two ODI World Cups that crystalized his name in the hall of legends. Made a century in the inaugural World Cup final as well.

Embed from Getty Images

64. Fred “The Demon” Spofforth (Australia, 1874-1897)

Major Teams: Australia, South Australia, Victoria

Spofforth is regarded as “Australia’s first true fast bowler.” First bowler to take a Test hat-trick, he zoomed to 94 wickets in only 18 career Test matches.

Embed from Getty Images

63. Harold Larwood (England, 1924-1938)

Major Teams: England, Nottinghamshire

According to Larwood’s Wisden obituary, he was “one of the rare fast bowlers in the game to spread terror in opposition ranks by the mere mentions of his name.” If Don Bradman struggled, then Larwood must have been really, really good.

Embed from Getty Images

62. Steve Smith (Australia, 2007-)

Major Teams: Australia, New South Wales, Worcestershire, Rajasthan Royals

Averaging 60.00 after 87 tests with 28 hundreds is no joke. Started as a leg-spinner batting at #8 and ended up becoming the greatest modern-day Test batter.

Embed from Getty Images

61. Chris Gayle (West Indies, 1999-2022)

Major Teams: West Indies, Royal Challengers Bangalore, West Indies U-19, St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots, Balkh Legends, Barisal Burners, Chattogram Challengers, Dhaka Gladiators, Dophins, Fortune Barishal, ICC World XI, Jamaica, Jamaica Tallawahs, Jozi Stars, Kandy Tuskers, Karachi Kings, Kings XI Punjab, Kolkata Knight Riders, Lahore Qalandars, Lions, Matabeleland Tuskers, Melbourne Renegades, Quetta Gladiators, Rangpur Riders, Somerset, St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots, Sydney Thunder, Vancouver Knights, Western Australia, Worcester

Although he is known for his big hitting and T20 exploits, Chris Gayle conquered all-formats over two decades. Just look at his record—14562 (T20), 13189 (List A), 13226 (First Class) runs, best of 333 in Tests, best of 215 in ODIs, 175* in T20s, and 117 in T20Is.

Embed from Getty Images

60. Shaun Pollock (South Africa, 1991-2008)

Major Teams: South Africa, Dolphins, KawZulu-Natal, Durham, Warwickshire

From a family of cricketing greats, Shaun Pollock became the most prolific wicket-taker of his time with 829 international wickets. Great consistent bowling and an effective all-rounder.

Embed from Getty Images

59. Tom Richardson (England, 1892-1905)

Major Teams: England, Somerset, Surrey, London County

Wisden’s obituary stated that “He will live in cricket history as perhaps the finest of all fast bowlers.” With 2104 first class wickets, best of 10/45 in an innings, and an average of 9.64 (11.06 average in Tests), he is certainly one of the best fast bowlers.

Embed from Getty Images

58. Shivnarine Chanderpaul (West Indies, 1991-2015)

Major Teams: West Indies, Guyana, Durham, Lancashire, Warwickshire, Derbyshire, Guyana Amazon Warriors

With his side-on technique and under-the-eye stickers, one of the most recognized batters. A hard batter to dismiss, will go down as a West Indian legend with 164 Test matches, 30 Test hundreds, and over 20,000 international runs.

Embed from Getty Images

57. MS Dhoni (India, 1999-)

Major Teams: India, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chennai Super Kings

Greatest ODI finisher of all-time and one of the best captains in international cricket & the IPL. Gave Indian fans a moment to cherish with a World Cup winning six. Genius behind the wickets as well.

Also Read: MS Dhoni and SK Raina Retire: An End of An Era

Embed from Getty Images

56. Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji (England, 1893-1920)

Major Teams: England, Sussex, Cambridge University, London County

Way ahead of his time, Ranjitsinhji “was probably one of the finest batsman of all time, not only in terms of runs scored but also because he brought new strokes to the game.”

Embed from Getty Images

55. Javed Miandad (Pakistan, 1975-1996)

Major Teams: Pakistan, Karachi, Habib Bank Limited, Sind, Glamorgan, Sussex

According to ESPNCricinfo, Miandad is the “greatest batsman Pakistan ever produced.” With over 16,000 international runs, 31 centuries, and 80 FC centuries, that certainly seems to be the case.

Embed from Getty Images

54. Brian Statham (England, 1950-1968)

Major Teams: England, Lancashire

100955 Balls, 2260 first class wickets, 16.37 average, these stats say it all.

Embed from Getty Images

53. Alfred Percy ‘Tich’ Freeman (England, 1914-1936)

Major Teams: England, Kent

With 3776 first class wickets, Freeman is regarded as “one of the greatest slow bowlers the game has ever known.”

Embed from Getty Images

52. Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka, 1997-2020)

Major Teams: Sri Lanka, Kandurata, Warwickshire, Surrey, Kings XI Punjab, Deccan Chargers, Sunrisers Hyderabad

Like fine wine, Sangakkara grew better with age. Most runs in a calendar year across formats in 2014 and retired with 12,400 Test runs at an average of 57.40. A T20 World Cup winner and great keeper as well.

Embed from Getty Images

51. George Alfred Lohmann (England, 1884-1897)

Major Teams: England, Surrey

Yes, he played in the nineteenth century, but the best career bowling strike rate (34.1) of all-time meant he was a class apart. A medium fast bowler, Lohmann took 112 Test and 1841 first class wickets.

Embed from Getty Images

Top 50 Cricketers of All Time: The Absolute Greats

The next 50 are the absolute greatest cricketers of all time. They either played historic knocks, are highly spoken of, or changed the way the game was played.

50. Steve Waugh (Australia, 1984-2004)

Major Teams: Australia, South Australia, Kent, Somerset

Led Australia to an ODI World Cup and 16 consecutive Test wins. A middle order stronghold in Australia’s great generation with over 10,000 Test runs and 32 tons.

Embed from Getty Images

49. Curtly Ambrose (West Indies, 1985-2000)

Major Teams: West Indies, Leeward Islands, Antigua and Barbuda, Northamptonshire

One of the most lethal bowlers of his time, he bowled some of the best spells in memory. Just watch his 7-1 spell. Ended up with 630 international wickets.

Also Read: 24 Cricketers with Musical Talent Who Will Rock You Ft. Don Bradman, Sreesanth, and AB De Villiers

Embed from Getty Images

48. Anil Kumble (India, 1989-2010)

Major Teams: India, Karnataka, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, Surrey)

Kumble’s 10 wickets in an innings against Pakistan wrote his name in folklore. With 619 Test wickets & 337 ODI wickets, he was a central figure in India’s XI for over a decade.

Embed from Getty Images

47. AB De Villiers (South Africa, 2003-2020)

Major Teams: South Africa, Northerns, Titans, Delhi Daredevils, Royal Challengers Bangalore

AB De Villiers could score the fastest hundred of all-time or could score 43 (297) in an attempt of a blockathon. The most versatile and innovative batter this world has ever seen. Also, Bangalore’s favorite son.

Also Read: Faf du Plessis & AB De Villiers’ Friendship: Broken Dreams of Faf and ABD

Embed from Getty Images

46. Victor Trumper (Australia, 1894-1914)

Major Teams: Australia, New South Wales

Wisden reckons that Trumper was “by general consent the best and most brilliant.” Was one of the fastest scorers of all-time at about 40 runs per hour.

Embed from Getty Images

45. Rahul Dravid (India, 1992-2013)

Major Teams: India, Karnataka, Kent, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rajasthan Royals

The glue that held India together. ‘The Wall’ played the most balls in the Test history (despite playing seven years less than Tendulkar). His versatility speaks volumes—Kept wickets, became an effective ODI floater, and hit three sixes in T20s. Major contributions in India’s overseas Test victories.

Also Read: What Rahul Dravid Taught Me, An Open Letter From a Cricket Fan to Those In Charge of Indian Cricket

Embed from Getty Images

44. Hanif Mohammad (Pakistan, 1951-1976)

Major Teams: Pakistan, Karachi

The original ‘Little Master’, Hanif’s 970-minute 337 vs West Indies in 1958 is forever etched in history. His highest score was 499 in first class cricket. How unfortunate.

Embed from Getty Images

43. Zaheer Abbas (Pakistan, 1965-1987)

Major Teams: Pakistan, Karachi, Sind, Gloucestershire

‘Known as the Asian Bradman,’ he is still the only Asian batter with 100 first-class hundreds. Prolific and elegant.

Embed from Getty Images

42. Denis Compton (England, 1936-1964)

Major Teams: England, Middlesex

Eerily similar stats to Zaheer Abbas, but a tad ahead. 78 Tests, 5807 runs. and 123 first class hundreds. One of England’s greatest.

Embed from Getty Images

41. Adam Gilchrist (Australia, 1992-2013)

Major Teams: Australia, New South Wales, Western Australia, Deccan Chargers, Kings XI Punjab

Revolutionized the role of the wicketkeeper. 9619 ODI runs at 96.94 SR and 5570 runs at 81.95 SR. After Gilchrist, wicketkeepers were expected to score runs and score them quickly.

Embed from Getty Images

40. Courtney Walsh (West Indies, 1981-2001)

Major Teams: West Indies, Jamaica, Gloucestershire

Before Mcgrath, Anderson, & Broad, Walsh bowled the most balls in his Test career (30019) and took the most wickets by a fast bowler (519). Not to mention 1807 first class wickets.

Embed from Getty Images

39. Allan Border (Australia, 1976-1996)

Major Teams: Australia, New South Wales, Queensland, Essex, Gloucestershire

First captain from Australia to lift the World Cup trophy, he set an example for the Waughs and Pontings to follow. With more than 11,000 Test runs and 156 Test caps (record at the time), he was a constant for Australia for the better part of two decades.

Embed from Getty Images

38. Waqar Younis (Pakistan, 1987-2003)

Major Teams: Pakistan, Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Rawalpindi, Surrey, Glamorgan

Credited for the ‘reverse’ swing, his bowled compilations are droolworthy to watch. 373 wickets at a strike rate of 43.4 and 416 ODI wickets puts him at the top of the crop.

Embed from Getty Images

37. Sir Richard Hadlee (New Zealand, 1971-1990)

Major Teams: New Zealand, Canterbury, Nottinghamshire

The first bowler to 400 Test wickets, he is arguably New Zealand’s greatest cricketer.

Embed from Getty Images

36. Dale Steyn (South Africa, 2004-2021)

Major Teams: South Africa, Cape Cobras, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Deccan Chargers, Sunrisers Hyderabad

Arguably the best fast bowler of all-time. Fast, pace, swing, consistency, he had it all. With a clean action, he dominated opposition at home and abroad. Unfortunately, freak injuries ended his career. Went past Pollock to become South Africa’s highest Test wicket-taker.

Also Read: Dale Steyn, The Embodiment of Simplicity and Intensity, Retires—The Greatest Fast Bowler of Them All

Embed from Getty Images

35. Virat Kohli (India, 2008-)

Major Teams: India, Delhi, Royal Challengers Bangalore, India U-19

Will go down as the greatest ODI batter of all-time. Definitely the best chaser in the game, his peak across formats was second to none. Twice the T20 player of the World Cup, his aggressive attitude and captaincy was crucial to India’s rise in Test cricket. The King of Cricket in the modern era.

Also Read: Virat Kohli’s 25 Best Innings Across International Formats (RANKED), 5 Ways Captain Virat Kohli Transformed Indian Cricket

Embed from Getty Images

34. Imran Khan (Pakistan, 1969-1992)

Major Teams: Pakistan, Sussex, Worcestershire

The world has never seen an Imran Khan before, and never will again. Fast bowler, effective batter, philanthropist, a Prime Minister, and a top candidate for the best-looking cricketer of all-time.

Embed from Getty Images

33. Ian Terence Botham (England, 1973-1993)

Major Teams: England, Durham, Somerset, Worcestershire, Queensland

In the golden era of all-rounders, Botham was arguably the best of the lot. About 7,000 international runs to go along with 528 wickets.

Embed from Getty Images

32. Kapil Dev (India, 1977-1995)

Major Teams: India, Haryana, Northamptonshire, Worcestershire

Three decades after he retired, India is still looking for another Kapil Dev. A long term fast-bowling all-rounder, he captained India to their first World Cup triumph.

Also Read: 83 Movie Review – Does the Film Do Justice to India’s Unlikely Dream 1983 World Cup Journey?

Embed from Getty Images

31. James ‘Jimmy’ Anderson (England, 2003-)

Major Teams: England, Lancashire, England U-19

The best swing bowler of all-time, it is his longevity and fitness that is remarkable. Two decades, 176 Tests, and 672 wickets. Brilliant!

Embed from Getty Images

30. George Headley (West Indies, 1927-1954)

Major Teams: West Indies, Jamaica

Had it not been for World War II, who knows how much George Headley could have accomplished. Retired with an average of 60.83 after 22 Tests and 69.86 in 103 first class matches. Wisden remarked that “he scored an avalanche of runs with a style and brilliance few of any age have matched.” Must have been wonderful to watch.

Embed from Getty Images

29. Derek ‘ Deadly’ Underwood (1963-1987)

Major Teams: England, Kent

Underwood claimed 2465 first-class wickets after bowling 139,783 balls along with 297 Test wickets.

Embed from Getty Images

28. Sunil Gavaskar (India, 1966-1987)

Major Teams: India, Mumbai, Somerset

The first player to break the 10,000 run Test barrier, the ‘Little Master’ set the standards for opening batsmanship in cricket. Playing without helmets against the West Indies was a daring task for sure.

Embed from Getty Images

27. Fred Trueman (England, 1949-1972)

Major Teams: England, Yorkshire, Derbyshire

Trueman was the first cricketer to 300 Test wickets. He had 2304 first class wickets to his name as well.

Embed from Getty Images

26. Bill ‘Tiger’ O’Reilly (Australia, 1927-1946)

Major Teams: Australia, New South Wales

Wisden remarked that O’Reilly was “probably the greatest spin bowler the game has ever produced” and Don Bradman is credited of saying, “he was the greatest bowler he had ever faced or watched.”

Embed from Getty Images

Greatest 25 Cricketers of All Time: The Undisputable Legends, Kings of Cricket

Time for the Undisputable Legends. These players are truly the greatest cricketers of all time.

25. Les Ames (England, 1926-1951)

Major Teams: England, Kent

According to Wisden, Ames was “without a doubt the greatest wicketkeeper-batsman the game [had] so far produced.” 418 stumpings, over 1,000 dismissals, and 102 first-class centuries.

Embed from Getty Images

24. Glenn McGrath (Australia, 1992-2007)

Major Teams: Australia, New South Wales

The greatest line and length bowler the world has ever seen. He was instrumental in Australia’s World Cup wins. Holds the record for most World Cup wickets (71) and was the highest fast bowling Test wicket taker before Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad surpassed him.

Embed from Getty Images

23. Dennis Lillee (Australia, 1967-1988)

Major Teams: Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia, Northamptonshire

If you can fox the great Sir Viv, you definitely have some skill. Broke the world record at that time and ended with 355 Test wickets.

Embed from Getty Images

22. Robert Graeme Pollock (South Africa, 1960-1987)

Major Teams: South Africa, Eastern Province, Transvaal

ESPNCricinfo reckons that Graeme Pollock was “perhaps the finest left-hand batsman the game has ever produced.” Another casualty of South Africa’s international exile, Pollock’s 60.97 average in his short 23-Test career gave the world a glimpse of his ability to go along his 64 hundreds in 262 first class games.

Embed from Getty Images

21. Herbert Sutcliffe (England, 1919-1945)

Major Teams: England, Yorkshire

First to score 4 Test centuries in a series and fastest to 1000 Test runs (12 innings), he was easily one of the greatest. Wisden’s obituary remarks that “he never knew a season of failure” as he would score over 50,000 first class runs with 151 tons.

World War I meant that he lost some early years and only started his career around the age of 25.

Embed from Getty Images

20. Malcolm Marshall (West Indies, 1977-1996)

Major Teams: West Indies, Barbados, Hampshire

The cricket world lost a gem in 1999 when Malcolm Marshall passed away at the young age of 41 due to cancer. However, he will be remembered as one of the most feared fast bowlers of all-time. 376 wickets at a strike rate of 46.7 & 20.94 average. Just watch some of his bouncers.

Embed from Getty Images

19. Barry Anderson Richards (South Africa, 1968-1983)

Major Teams: South Africa, Natal, Transvaal, Gloucestershire, Hampshire

South Africa’s exile meant Barry Richards could only play 4 Test matches, but still showed the world what he got—2 100s, 2 50s, and an average of 72.57. “One of the finest talents of the 20th century“, scoring 28,000 first class runs, 80 tons, and nine centuries before lunch display his greatness.

Embed from Getty Images

18. Wasim Akram (Pakistan, 1984-2003)

Major Teams: Pakistan, Hampshire, Lancashire

Best left-arm fast bowler of all time, key to Pakistan’s rise, and took the most wickets by a fast bowler in ODI cricket. He was the hero of the 1992 World Cup final and with Waqar Younis, formed a pair of the ages. Still holds the highest score by a #8 in Test matches, 257*.

Embed from Getty Images

17. Frank Wooley (England, 1906-1938)

Major Teams: England, Kent

58,959 runs. 145 centuries. 2066 Wickets. 978 first class matches. Wisden describes as “beyond doubt one of the finest and most elegant left-handed all-rounders of all-time.”

Embed from Getty Images

16. Brian Charles Lara (West Indies, 1987-2010)

Major Teams: West Indies, Trinidad & Tobago

Brian Lara was one of the best left-arm batters of all-time His name will forever be etched in record books with 400* (Test) and 501* (first class). More than the numbers, though, you always wanted to watch him bat. Top notch elegance.

Also Read: Most Stylish Batsman Of The Modern Era

Embed from Getty Images

15. Ricky Ponting (Australia, 1992-2013)

Major Teams: Australia, Tasmania

Ricky Ponting was one of the most dominant players of his generation. He ruled the world as a batter, fielder, and captain. Ponting holds the record for the fastest to 12,000 runs in both ODI and Test cricket, only behind Tendulkar. Ended with more than 27,000 international runs, 71 centuries, and 364 catches. However, his legacy is cemented with two World cup wins as captain.

Embed from Getty Images

14. Sir Leonard ‘Len’ Hutton (England, 1934-1955)

129 first class hundreds in 513 matches. Not quite 99.96, but 40,140 runs at 55.51 is quite special. Handy leg spinner as well. Wisden remarked in Hutton’s obituary that he was “one of the greatest batsman the game has produced in all its long history.”

Major Teams: England, Yorkshire

Embed from Getty Images

13. Jacques Kallis (South Africa, 1993-2014)

Major Teams: South Africa, Western Province, Warriors, Cape Cobras, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kolkata Knight Riders, Sydney Thunder, Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel, Middlesex, Glamorgan

Once playing against India, a stat came up that aptly described Jacques Kallis contribution in Test cricket. With runs and centuries, Kallis rivalled Tendulkar. With the ball, he was an equal to Zaheer Khan. One of the greatest allrounders of the game, 10,000+ runs in each format, and had a decent T20 career as well. Would take South Africa two players to replace the balance he provided the Proteas.

Embed from Getty Images

12. Wilfred Rhodes (England, 1899-1930)

Major Teams: England, Yorkshire

Most prolific first-class wicket-taker of all time. 4204 wickets from 1110 matches. Close to 40,000 first class runs as well. Moreover, he had the longest first-class career with 30 years & 315 days. That’s commitment.

Also Read: Top 55 All-Rounders in Cricket History List (The Complete Guide)

Embed from Getty Images

11. Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka, 1989-2014)

Alternative spelling: Muthiah Muralidaran

The best off-spinner of all-time and the most prolific international wicket taker of all-time with 1347 wickets. Taking the 800th Test wicket with his final ball will go down as the one of the iconic moments in the game. A 1996 World Cup winner to cap it off.

Major Teams: Sri Lanka

Embed from Getty Images

10. Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander ‘Viv’ Richards (West Indies)

Major Teams: West Indies, Leeward Islands, Glamorgan, Somerset

Sir Viv Richards had just the right amount of talent, intimidation factor, and swag. One of the central pins of West Indies’ golden generation and way ahead of his time. Pioneer of modern ODI cricket.

Embed from Getty Images

9. Walter Reginald ‘Wally’ Hammond (England, 1920-1951)

Major Teams: England, Gloucestershire

7249 Test runs with 22 hundreds in the era that he played is already a huge achievement. Add to that, 50,551 first-class runs with a mammoth 167 centuries, 185 fifties, and 732 wickets, he is definitely one to be remembered.

Embed from Getty Images

8. Sydney Barnes (England, 1894-1930)

Major Teams: England, Staffordshire, Lancashire, Warwickshire, Wales

6,229 wickets at an average of 8.33 from club to Test matches. Most wickets ever in a Test series (49). S.C. Griffith, secretary of MCC summed it up perfectly, “The extraordinary thing about him was that all his contemporaries considered him the greatest bowler.”

Embed from Getty Images

7. Frank Worrell (West Indies, 1941-1964)

Major Teams: West Indies, Barbados, Jamaica

Sir Learie Constantine described Worrell as, ” a happy man, a good man, and a great one.” Worthy middle order batter & allrounder with a knack of big hundreds, his influence as a social icon was far greater. First long-term black captain of West Indian cricket, he helped unify the islands and moved West Indies move into the success of the 70s & 80s. Unfortunately, passed away at the age of 42 with a rich legacy, nevertheless. Key player in the first Tied Test, the Australia-West Indies series is still named the “Frank Worell Trophy.”

Embed from Getty Images

6. Sir Garfield St Aubrun ‘Garry’ Sobers (West Indies, 1952-1975)

Major Teams: West Indies, Barbados, Nottinghamshire, South Australia

The greatest all-rounder of all time. Shall I say more?

Embed from Getty Images

5. Shane Warne (Australia, 1990-2013)

Major Teams: Australia, Victoria, Rajasthan Royals, Melbourne Stars

If you bowled the ‘Ball of the Century,’ took 708 wickets, and won a World Cup final on your own, you deserve to be in the Top 5 of every list. A larger-than-life icon who revolutionized leg spin. A leader that Australia never had as his later years with the Rajasthan Royals and T20 leagues showed. His death in 2022 shocked one and all.

Embed from Getty Images

4. Sir John Berry ‘Jack’ Hobbs (England,1908-1930)

Major Teams: England, Surrey

Most prolific first-class batter of all-time. 61,760 runs, 199 centuries, 273 fifties, oldest Test centurion (at 46), and opened the batting and bowling in South Africa in 1910. The original ‘Master‘ and first cricketer to receive Knighthood.

Embed from Getty Images

3. Sachin Tendulkar (India, 1989-2013)

Major Teams: India, Mumbai, Mumbai Indians

The greatest batsman the world in the modern era. Over 34,000 international runs, 100 hundreds, World Cup winner. The original God of cricket, and a beacon of hope for a billion people for over two decades.

Embed from Getty Images

2. Dr. William Gilbert ‘WG’ Grace (England, 1865-1908)

Major Teams: England, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), Gloucestershire, London County Cricket Club

Without Grace’s grace, we can only imagine how different cricket’s development as an official sport would have been in its early days. 44 years, 870 first class matches, 54,000 runs, 2800 wickets. Also practiced medicine and had that iconic beard.

Embed from Getty Images

1. Sir Donald Bradman (Australia, 1927-1949)

Major Teams: Australia, New South Wales, South Australia

Not only regarded as the greatest Test batter of all-time in the world of cricket but also a well know trivia fact outside of the sport. 99.94. The elusive 4 runs. 6996. In fact, he scored 117 centuries in 234 matches at an average of 95.14 with the best of 452* in all first-class cricket. Technically gifted, daddy hundreds, Test captain, ‘Borderline’ series, leader of the ‘Invincibles’, and the comeback after World War II break. Legend in all senses.

Embed from Getty Images

Extended List (By Country): The Honorable Mentions

These players are one of the best to have played for their nations. Several of these players played over 100 Test matches. However, due to the extensive competition, they did not make the Top 151 Greatest Cricket Players of All Time List.

Greatest Players of All Time #175-270

  • England: Patsy Hendren, Graeme Hick, Phil Mead, Douglas Jardine, Eoin Morgan, Ian Bell, Jos Buttler, Andrew Strauss, Alec Stewart, Dennis Amiss, Bernard Bosanquet, Mike Atherton, Maurice Tate, Graeme Swann, Charlie Parker, Andrew Flintoff, Frank Tyson, Graham Thorpe, Sir Pelham Warner, Bill Lockwood, John Jackson, Johnny Briggs, Hugh Trumble
  • West Indies: Alvin Kallicharran, Rohan Kanhai, Carl Hooper, Lawrence Rowe, Roy Fredericks, Vanburn Holder, Charlie Griffith, Andre Russell, Jackie Hendricks, Colin Croft, Ian Bishop
  • Australia: Dean Jones, David Boon, Bill Ponsford, Charles Turner, Bill Lawry, Mark Taylor, Aaron Finch, Clem Hill, Andrew Symonds, Geoffrey Marsh, Mike Hussey, Charlie McCartney, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood
  • India: Lala Amarnath, Mohammad Azharuddin, Erapalli Prasanna, Zaheer Khan, Mohinder Amarnath, Dilip Vengsarkar, S Venkataraghavan, B Chandrasekhar, Vijay Merchant, Gundappa Vishwanath, Vijay Manjrekar, Farokh Engineer, Javagal Srinath
  • South Africa: Trevor Goddard, Herschelle Gibbs, Gary Kirsten, Kagiso Rabada, Vernon Philander, Morne Morkel, Dudley Nourse, Mike Proctor, Jonty Rhodes, John Waite, Faf du Plessis
  • New Zealand: Tim Southee, Glenn Turner, Nathan Astle, Jacob Oram, Scott Styris, Stewie Dempster, Martin Donnely, John R Reid, Shane Bond, Martin Guptill, Ian Smith, Jack Cowie, Chris Cairns, Chris Harris, Bruce Taylor, Neil Wagner
  • Pakistan: Shoaib Malik, Umar Gul, Fazal Mahmood, Yasir Shah, Saleem Malik, Babar Azam, Mohammad Asif, Misbah Ul-Haq, Rashid Latif
  • Sri Lanka: Angelo Mathews
  • Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal, Mashrafe Mortaza, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah
  • Zimbabwe: Grant Flower, Brendon Taylor
  • USA: Bart King

Top 10 Greatest Cricketers of All-Time (By Country)

Who are the greatest Australian cricketers of all-time?

The greatest Australian cricketer of all-time is Sir Donald Bradman (#1). The Top 10 Australian cricketers in history are Don Bradman (#1), Shane Warne (#5), Ricky Ponting (#15), Dennis Lillee (#23), Glenn McGrath (#24), Bill O’Reilly (#26), Allan Border (#39), Adam Gilchrist (#41), Victor Trumper (#46), Steve Waugh (#50).

Who are the English cricketers of all-time?

The greatest England cricketer of all-time is Dr. WG Grace (#2). The Top 10 England cricketers in history are WG Grace (#2), Sir Jack Hobbs (#4), Sydney Barnes (#8), Wally Hammond (#9), Wilfred Rhodes (#12), Sir Len Hutton (#14), Frank Wooley (#17), Herbert Sutcliffe (#21), Les Ames (#25), and Fred Trueman (#27).

Who are the greatest Indian cricketers of all-time?

The greatest Indian cricketer of all-time is Sachin Tendulkar (#3). The Top 10 Indian cricketers in history are Sachin Tendulkar (#3), Sunil Gavaskar (#28), Kapil Dev (#32), Virat Kohli (#35), Rahul Dravid (#45), Anil Kumble (#48), Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji (#56), MS Dhoni (#57), Ravichandran Ashwin (#88), and Bishan Singh Bedi (#95).

Who are the greatest West Indian cricketers of all-time?

The greatest West Indian cricketer of all-time is Sir Garfield Sobers (#6). The Top 10 West Indies cricketers in history are Sir Garfield Sobers (#6), Frank Wooley (#7), Sir Vivian Richards (#10), Brian Lara (#16), Malcolm Marshall (#20), George Headley (#30), Courtney Walsh (#40), Curtly Ambrose (#49), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (#58), and Chris Gayle (#61).

Also Read: Top 21 West Indian Fast Bowlers List (The Complete Guide) | Greatest West Indies Fast Bowlers of All Time (Updated 2024), Top 50 Greatest West Indies Cricketers of All Time: The Complete List (2023)

Who are the greatest Sri Lankan cricketers of all-time?

The greatest Sri Lankan cricketer of all-time is Muttiah Muralitharan (#11). The Top 10 Sri Lanka cricketers in history are Muttiah Muralitharan (#11), Kumar Sangakkara (#52), Mahela Jayawardene (#66), Sanath Jayasuriya (#74), Chaminda Vaas (#77), Tillakaratne Dilshan (#100), Lasith Malinga (#102), Rangana Herath (#109), Aravinda de Silva (#119), Arjuna Ranatunga (#126), and Marvin Atapattu (#149).

Who are the greatest South African cricketers of all-time?

The greatest South African cricketer of all-time is Jacques Kallis (#13). The Top 10 South Africa cricketers in history are Jacques Kallis (#13), Barry Richards (#19), Graeme Pollock (#22), Dale Steyn (#36), AB De Villiers (#47), Shaun Pollock (#60), Graeme Smith (#78), Aubrey Faulkner (#81), Hashim Amla (#114), and Allan Donald (#116).

Who are the greatest Pakistan cricketers of all-time?

The greatest Pakistani cricketer of all-time is Wasim Akram (#18). The Top 10 Pakistan cricketers in history are Wasim Akram (#18), Imran Khan (#34), Waqar Younis (#38), Zaheer Abbas (#43), Hanif Mohammad (#44), Javed Miandad (#55), Mohammad Yousuf (#69), Inzamam Ul-Haq (#93), Younis Khan (#97), and Saqlain Mushtaq (#112).

Who are the greatest New Zealand cricketers of all-time?

The greatest New Zealand cricketer of all-time is Sir Richard Hadlee (#37). The Top 10 New Zealand cricketers in history are Richard Hadlee (#37), Daniel Vettori (#89), Ross Taylor (#92), Brendon McCullum (#104), Kane Williamson (#108), Martin Crowe (#129), Stephen Fleming (#131), Tim Southee, Trent Boult, and Glenn Turner.

Who are the greatest Bangladesh cricketers of all-time?

The greatest Bangladeshi cricketer of all-time is Shakib Al Hasan (#75).

Who are the greatest Afghanistan cricketers of all-time?

The greatest Afghanistan cricketer of all-time is Rashid Khan (#107).

Who are the greatest Zimbabwe cricketers of all-time?

The greatest Zimbabwean cricketer of all-time is Andy Flower (#132).

The Criteria

The goal of this list is that from these 152 greatest cricketers of all time, you can pick sub-lists of the “Greatest All-Rounders of All-Time,” “Greatest Fast Bowlers of All-Time,” etc.

So how did we pick the greatest cricketers of all time? Well, we considered it all—Impact, captaincy, World Cup contributions, longevity, legacy, and statistics (10,000 runs, player of the match awards, 5-fers, 10-fers, ICC Hall of fame, Wisden cricketer of the century list, etc.)

This was a tougher challenge than I had initially anticipated. So to narrow down our choices, if a player satisfied any of the criteria below, they were automatically added to the list:

  • Member of ICC’s Hall of Fame
  • 10,000 ODI or Test Runs
  • 500 Test Wickets, 400 ODI Wickets
  • Selected as the Six Giants of the Wisden Century or Wisden Cricketers of the Century

To understand a player’s true impact from before the 1950s, excerpts from Wisden’s Almanack and ESPNCricinfo were used (and cited).

*Note: Sydney Barnes, Don Bradman, W.G. Grace, Jack Hobbs, Tom Richardson, and Victor Trumper were selected as the Six Giants of the Wisden Century and Donald Bradman, Garfield Sobers, Jack Hobbs, Shane Warne, and Viv Richards were voted as Wisden Cricketer of the Century in 2000.

Thanks for reading the Greatest Cricketers of All Time. Do consider subscribing for more such content.

Frequently Asked Questions: Greatest Cricketers of All Time

Sources: Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Century, ICC Hall of Fame, ESPN Cricinfo’s All time XIs

Also Read: Top 25 Greatest All-Rounders in Cricket History: Where do Ben Stokes, Shakib Al Hasan, and Ravindra Jadeja Rank?, Top 43 Pakistan Fast Bowlers List (The Complete Guide) | Greatest Pakistani Fast Bowlers of All Time (Updated 2023), Top 50 Greatest West Indies Cricketers of All Time: The Complete List (2023)

Who is the best cricketer of all time?

Sir Donald Bradman is considered the best cricketer of all-time, followed closely by WG Grace, Sachin Tendulkar, Jack Hobbs, Shane Warne, Frank Worrell, and Sir Garfield Sobers.

Who is the best batsman of all time?

Sir Donald Bradman, Sachin Tendulkar, Sir Jack Hobbs, Sir Frank Worrell, and Sir Viv Richards are the best batsman of all time. Sir Len Hutton, Ricky Ponting, Brian Lara, Barry Richards, and Graeme Pollock are close behind.

Who is the best bowler of all time?

Shane Warne are Sydney Barnes are the best bowlers of all time. Behind them are Muralitharan, Wasim Akram, Malcolm Marshall, Bill O’Reilly, Glenn Mcgrath, Fred Trueman, Jimmy Anderson, Dale Steyn, and Waqar Younis.

Who is the best all-rounder of all time?

Sir Garfield Sobers is the best all-rounder of all time with Jacques Kallis close behind. Kapil Dev, Ian Botham, Imran Khan, Richard Hadlee, Jayasuriya, Shakib Al Hasan, Miller, and Faulkner also make the list.

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, 2022. Originally published on 12/10/2022. 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).

2022 T20 World Cup Review: The Quickest Review You Will Ever Find

2022 T20 World Cup Review Time!

Also Read: 2022 T20 World Cup Quickest Preview Ever: One Sentence Preview of all 16 Teams!

1. Afghanistan

Rain, rain go away, come again another day, little Rashid Khan wants to play. They never got to showcase their whole talent, did they? Ran Australia close with Rashid brilliance in Adelaide, Mujeeb’s Magic Ball, and Farooqi’s swing, some moments to cherish.

2. Australia

Foolish batting vs New Zealand, net run rate drops, never recovered, Stoinis only star, Starc-Cummins drop T20 credentials, Finch nearing the end.

3. Bangladesh

The Tigers were one win away from the semi-finals. That is already a big plus, isn’t it? Nothing was expected from them. Also Taskin’s menace and the elegance that Liton Das is.

4. England

Double World Champions, shall I say more? The talent that Sam Curran is, redemptions of Alex Hales & Ben Stokes, and Jos Buttler’s calm captaincy paves new era for England cricket. England’s message to the whole world – Change or Perish. This is the way to go in T20s.

Embed from Getty Images

5. India

A script so predictable that is starting to get boring. Virat Kohli’s usual magic, India breezes to the semi-finals, and then packs their bags only to return home. But disappointment aside, That Haris Rauf shot, SKY’s 360 game, and the emergency of Arshdeep is what we will all remember.

Embed from Getty Images

6. Ireland

Coming of age. The Campher-Dockrell recovery vs Scotland set the tone for this World Cup, Balbirnie led from the front, Stirling with his one great innings, Fionn Hand’s Ball vs Stokes, Tector’s 71, and wins versus West Indies and England. Ireland are big boys now.

7. Namibia

Set the World Cup on fire with a dominating victory against Sri Lanka in the first game. Almost through to the Super 12s with David Wiese’s heroics but unfortunately the long boundaries went against them.

8. Netherlands

South Africa will be scarred forever courtesy Roelof Van Der Merwe’s catch and all-round performance. Consistent bowling throughout, Tim Pringle’s glasses, Max O’Dowd’s class, Ackermann’s assault, eye injury to de Leede, Van Meekeren’s fast bowling arrival, and enough support from the rest of the crew.

Embed from Getty Images

9. New Zealand

They came, they saw, they left from the knockout stages without conquering. Same old, same old. Glenn Phillips, Santner, and one innings each of Conway/Allen only positives.

10. Pakistan

Almost a replica of 1992. World Cup down under, lost the first couple, almost out. Then came the Shadab show versus South Africa and they never looked back. Naseem-Shaheen-Haris-Wasim made a potential fast bowling attack that challenged England, but an archaic batting strategy cost them.

Embed from Getty Images

11. South Africa

The reflection of Rilee Rossouw. 100s or nothing. Dominated Bangladesh & India and lost must win games against Pakistan & Netherlands. Another legendary choke in the books.

Embed from Getty Images

12. Sri Lanka

Good, but not good enough. Injuries meant they were not even close to replicating their Asia Cup heroics. Hasaranga among the wickets again. But Off-field controversies are not helping.

13. Scotland

Brilliant victory against the West Indies but will be disappointed. Had one door in the Super 12s but could not stop an Ireland comeback. An end of era, retirements forthcoming.

14. UAE

Great bowling attack, some power hits, and one win against Namibia. That’s better than most expected.

15. West Indies

Hetmyer missed flight, West Indies missed on common sense cricket. Crashed out of the first round. Digging themselves in a hole now.

16. Zimbabwe

The team to support in this World Cup, lead superbly by Sean Williams with charismatic Sikandar Raza as their main man. Defeated Pakistan and were close to the semis if they hadn’t panicked in the Bangladesh run chase. Chakaba solid behind the stumps, Ngarava the pick of the bowlers with Muzarabani and Brad Evans other positives.

Embed from Getty Images

Thanks for reading the 2022 T20 World Cup Review article.

  • Photo Collage of All International Cricket Captains - Salary of Cricketer's from each country

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

  • Collage of Alastair Cook (left) on saxophone, Graeme Swann (middle left) - Lead singer, Curtly Ambrose (middle right) on bass guitar, and Omari Banks (bottom right) on guitar - Photos of cricketers with musical talent

    24 Cricketers with Musical Talent Who Will Rock You Ft. Don Bradman, Sreesanth, and AB De Villiers

  • Photo of Rahul Dravid With Text - 15 Things Cricket Has To Fix in the Next Decade

    15 Cricket Problems That Needs to Be Solved in the Next Decade | How to Fix Cricket 101

  • Image of Cricketers Who Retired Too Early

    Top 11 Cricketers Who Retired Too Early – The Lost Generation of Alastair Cook, Kevin Pietersen, AB De Villiers, Hashim Amla, and Michael Clarke

  • Most Beautiful Cricket Stadiums In the World - Images

    Most Beautiful Cricket Stadium in Each of the 12 Countries – Lord’s, Newlands, MCG, Galle,…Which Is Your Favorite?

  • Photo of Kevin Pietersen - one of the South African born cricketers who played for other countries

    62 South African Born Cricketers Who Play for Other Countries: Can You Guess Them All?

  • Photo of the Golden Gate Bridge

    USA Cricket—The Complete Guide to Cricket in America (Updated 2023)

  • Photo of Simon Jones

    22 Unlucky Cricketers Wasted Talents: Alex Hales, Fawad Alam, Robin Uthappa, Can You Guess The Rest?

  • Photo of Rahul Dravid

    Rahul Dravid Biography: What Dravid Taught Me

  • Greatest South African Cricketers of All Time: (From left to right) Allan Donald, Hashim Amla, Barry Richards, Shaun Pollock, AB de Villiers, Jacques Kallis, Dale Steyn, Graeme Pollock, Graeme Smith, Mike Procter

    Top 51 Greatest South African Cricketers of All-Time (Updated 2024) | List of the Best South African Cricket Players (A Complete Guide)

  • Future of Cricket - 14 Solutions to Solve Test Cricket and International Cricket's problems. Pictured here (Ollie Pope, Shamar Joseph, Ben Stokes, Tom Hartley)

    An Open Letter to the ICC: 14 Points & Cricket’s League of Nations Proposal for Survival of the Sport

  • Ravichandran Ashwin - Many Faces of Ashwin: RR, CSK in the IPL and ODI, Test cricket in internationals

    13 Insanely Jaw Dropping Moments That Show How Ravichandran Ashwin Changed the Way You Think About Cricket

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, 2022. Originally published on 11/14/2022. 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

Embed from Getty Images

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

Embed from Getty Images

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

Embed from Getty Images

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

Embed from Getty Images

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

Embed from Getty Images

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

Embed from Getty Images

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

Embed from Getty Images

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
  4. Part V: Virat Kohli Net Worth: How Do Cricketers Earn Money?

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

Embed from Getty Images

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

Embed from Getty Images

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

Embed from Getty Images

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

Embed from Getty Images

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

Embed from Getty Images

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 Australian 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

Also Read:

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).

Should Virat Kohli be a part of India’s T20 World Cup Squad?

Should Virat Kohli…be in India’s T20 World Cup squad? Should he not? The burning question in every Indian fan’s mind. Rohit Sharma is getting increasingly annoyed with every press conference (Here are his conferences after the 1st ODI and 2nd ODI vs England).

Virat Kohli has now been rested for the West Indies 5-match T20I series. India’s series against South Africa and Ireland gave a hint of India’s new aggressive gameplay and how the future might look without Kohli. These five games against the West Indies will make it clear, can India survive without Virat Kohli?

Here is my take—Virat Kohli should be in the Indian T20 World Cup squad but as a floater, not the #3 batter.

Also Read: 54 Contenders for the Indian 2022 T20 World Cup Squad — Do Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli Deserve a Spot?

Table of Contents

  1. What are the Pros of Having Virat Kohli in India’s T20 World Cup Squad?
  2. What are the Cons of Having Virat Kohli in India’s T20 World Cup Squad?
  3. Virat Kohli’s T20I Stats Since December 2020 (Post-Pandemic Break)
  4. Possible Scenarios for Virat Kohli
  5. Final Thoughts

What are the Pros of Having Virat Kohli in India’s T20 World Cup Squad?

Several international players have come to Virat Kohli’s defense. Rohit Sharma reiterated that even though each player suffers from ups and downs in his or her career, the player’s quality never reduces. Here are some other reasons why a player like Virat Kohli might be valuable in a T20 World Cup.

  • Experience matters in a World Cup
  • Great record across formats in Australia consistently for the past 14 years
  • Player of the tournament in 2014/2016 T20 World Cups. Single handedly carried India.
  • Although IPL record is poor, his recent T20I stats have been pretty decent
Embed from Getty Images

Virat Kohli’s T20I Stats Since December 2020 (Post-Pandemic Break)

One of the misconceptions from Virat Kohli’s bad form is due to all formats getting mixed – Tests, ODIs, T20Is, and IPL. He has horrid IPL seasons and been found out at the Test level at times as well, but in ODIs and T20Is, he has been pretty solid.

  • In Australia (December 2020)
    • 9 (9)
    • 40 (24)
    • 85 (61)
  • Vs England in India (Match 2021)
    • 0(5)
    • 73*(49)
    • 77*(46)
    • 1(5)
    • 80*(52)
  • T20 WC
    • 57 (49) vs Pakistan
    • 9 (17) vs New Zealand
    • DNB vs Afghanistan
    • 2* (2) vs Scotland
    • DNB vs Namibia
  • West Indies (Feb 2022)
    • 17 (13)
    • 52 (41)
  • England (July 2022)
    • 1 (3)
    • 11 (6)

Source: Virat Kohli StatsGuru

In summary, since Dec 2020, Virat Kohli in T20Is has stats:

17 matches, 15 innings, 514 runs, 46.72 average, 134.55 SR, best of 85, 6 fifties, 1 duck

Here are his overall career T20I stats:

99 matches, 91 innings, 3308 runs, 50.12 average, 137.66 SR, best of 94*, 30 fifties, 3 ducks

What are the Cons of Having Virat Kohli in India’s T20 World Cup Squad?

Now that we have discussed some of the positives, now let us discuss what is on everybody’s mind. Kapil Dev, Venkatesh Prasad, and lots of other cricketers have asked for players to be picked on form and merit, not reputation.

Also Read: 3 Unfairly Treated Cricketer: Sanju Samson, Rahul Tripathi, Prithvi Shaw

So, what are the cons of Virat Kohli in a T20 World Cup side?

  • Low Strike Rate in the Modern T20 Age
  • Needs some time to get going unlike a Rahul Tripathi, Sanju Samson, or Deepak Hooda at #3, who can continue the momentum
  • Can get bogged down by spin in T20s during the middle phase
  • Does not offer another skill (bowling, keeping, and unfortunately, no longer captaincy)

To give a complete picture, here are Virat Kohli’s stats in the last three IPLs:

  • IPL 2020
    • 15 matches, 466 runs, 42.36 average, 121.35 SR, 3 50s, best of 90*
  • IPL 2021
    • 15 matches, 405 runs, 28.92 average, 119.46 SR, 3 50s, best of 72*
  • IPL 2022
    • 16 matches, 341 runs, 22.73 average, 115.99 SR, 2 50s, best of 73
Embed from Getty Images

So, is there a way to fitting Virat Kohli in the squad while considering both of these things?

The answer is YES. Virat Kohli can play a similar role to what Steve Smith played during Australia’s 2021 T20 World Cup victory run.

Possible Scenarios for Virat Kohli

Since India are going with an ultra-aggressive batting approach, there will be volatile days when the team may collapse. Going for 225 everyday, the team might end up collapsing for a score below 100.

In this case, a Grant Elliot-esque insurance policy is needed. For India, Virat Kohli can be that insurance policy (In the current setup, either Dinesh Karthik comes in earlier to do this role or Axar Patel has been sent to delay DK’s entry. In both cases, India lost momentum. Virat Kohli instead of Axar Patel would be the ideal scenario)

Here are some get possible scenarios:

  1. If openers have a blazing start, send in Sanju Samson-Suryakumar Yadav-Hardik Pandya, etc. depending on the situation/number of overs left. Push Virat Kohli down the order until absolutely necessary.
  2. If an opener gets out early, still send Suryakumar Yadav in hoping he will continue the positive approach. However, if another wicket falls during this tricky phase, send Virat Kohli at #4 to stem the flow of wickets.
  3. While chasing, if it is a tricky small run-chase in difficult batting conditions, send Virat Kohli at #3.
  4. Another option is to carry him in the World Cup squad without playing him in the XI. In case another batter is horridly out of form during the World Cup or gets injured, Virat Kohli can adapt to whatever role is necessary.

In this way, India will still be utilizing Virat Kohli’s core skills and experience rather than expecting him to be India’s modern T20 #3 batter.

Final Thoughts

Rohit Sharma made it clear in his press conference that each player will be given confidence, especially since India are trying to play with a new approach. Failures will happen, but judgements should not be made based on one or two series.

Based on his recent IPL stats, Kohli should not make it. Based on his recent T20I stats, he should be in contention for the World Cup, but not necessarily a certainty. But based on captain Rohit Sharma’s statements, Virat Kohli will be on that plane to Australia and more than likely, in the XI. So, why not give him our full support as fans?

These were my two cents. I have presented you with both perspectives. What do you think? Which side are you on?

Here is the Quora article that instigated this idea.

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, 2021. Originally published on 07/14/2022. 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).

Why Was the SuperSub Rule Removed from Cricket

The SuperSub was one of the most innovative laws in recent Cricket’s history but unfortunately was short lived.

Also Read: 15 Cricket Problems That Needs to Be Solved in the Next Decade | How to Fix Cricket 101

What was the Super Sub Rule?

At the beginning of a One Day International (ODI) match, the teams would list 12 players, where the twelfth man actually could make a tangible impact in the game — The Super Sub.

They could either replace a bowler and finish their quota, be picked as a wicketkeeper (which usual substitutes could not without special permission) or could replace a batter for the remainder of the game.

Embed from Getty Images

Who Was the First SuperSub in Cricket?

Vikram Solanki, pictured above, was the first SuperSub. On July 7th, 2005 he became the first SuperSub after replacing Simon Jones (but didn’t get to bat since England finished the chase early).

Source: 7th July, 2005: England’s Vikram Solanki Becomes Cricket’s First-ever Super-sub

When was the SuperSub Rule Implemented?

The SuperSub Rule briefly lasted between 2005 and 2006, but due to its controversial nature, was removed by 2006.

Why did the SuperSub Innovation Fail?

The Super Sub rule failed due to the rigidity in the system.

The substitute player had to be picked before the toss. Hence, variations in the game could nullify the substitute selection. What if a team went with four pace bowlers and the ball started to stop a bit? What if a team needed an extra batter after an early collapse? The Super Sub could not flow with the game and hence, it failed to bring the results it once promised.

In addition, teams brought specialist fielders to replace bowlers to keep energy in the field, which was frowned upon by the opposition.

The X Factor Rule in Big Bash

The Big Bash is now trying out some innovations like the X-Factor.

The X-Factor has the chance of substituting a player after the 10th over in a T20 game, thereby giving both teams a fair level playing field and flexibility.

Read about the X-Factor and other innovations in the Big Bash described by former Australian coach Darren Lehmann.

If ODI Cricket is to Survive, SuperSub and Other Innovations Need to Comeback

At a time when ODI cricket is struggling to find relevance, South Africa are willingly forfeiting an ODI series and jeopardizing their World Cup direct qualification chances to accommodate home grown T20 Leagues, innovations like the SuperSub should be added again.

If the ICC doesn’t act now, the ODI game is good as over.

What do you think? What other innovations could make the ODI game relevant again?

**

Check out the Quora response here.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What was the Super Sub Rule?

At the beginning of a One Day International (ODI) match, the teams would list 12 players, where the twelfth man actually could make a tangible impact in the game — The Super Sub.
They could either replace a bowler and finish their quota, be picked as a wicketkeeper (which usual substitutes could not without special permission),or could replace a batter for the remainder of the game.

Who Was the First SuperSub in Cricket?

Vikram Solanki, pictured above, was the first SuperSub. On July 7th, 2005 he became the first SuperSub after replacing Simon Jones.

Why did the SuperSub Innovation Fail?

The Super Sub rule failed due to the rigidity in the system since the substitute player had to be picked before the toss.

How long did the SuperSub rule last?

The SuperSub rule lasted about one year, between 2005 and 2006.

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, 2021. Originally published on 07/14/2022. 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).

County Championship 2022 Predictions – Most Runs, Most Wickets, Winners!

By Nitesh Mathur, Broken Cricket Dreams, 4/07/2022

Today was such a pleasant day for cricket—The County Championship 2022 began, going back to the two-division structure from the ‘pre-pandemic’ era.

8 concurrent matches (I watched the Essex Vs Kent game), friendly exchanges on social media, centuries for Nick Browne & Sir Alastair Cook (yep still going strong!), Somerset bundled for 180 by Hampshire, and lots of young talent on show!

And when there is a new tournament, there is #BCDPredictions. The County Championship is long! It ends at the end of September. So, here are the predictions of our friends from Twitter and Facebook here so we can compare at the end of the journey, who got most Predictions right!

For predictions from the IPL and other Test series, check the #BCDPredictions Challenge archive here.

Also Read: The Comedy of Overs: Shakespearean Parody Starring English Cricket, The Hundred, And County Cricket; County Cricket-Hundred Debate from an Outsider’s Perspective: Can They Co-Exist?

The Categories

The categories for the County Championship 2022 Predictions are:

#MostRuns, #MostWickets, #WinnerDiv1, #WinnerDiv2, and #LookingForwardTo.

As a reminder, the two divisions are structured as follows:

Division OneEssexGloucestershireHampshireKentLancashireNorthamptonshireSomersetSurreyWarwickshireYorkshire
Divisiion TwoDerbyshireDurhamGlamorganLeicestershireMiddlesexNottinghamshireSussexWorcestershire

*If you have not submitted your predictions, there is still time! You can send the predictions in the form below or tag us in Twitter.

My County Championship 2022 Predictions

Due to my personal affinity for Alastair Cook, I went with Essex for Division I, but will be following several domestic and international stars.

Specifically would love to see openers Rory Burns & Dom Sibley return to top form after an indifferent last year in Test cricket. Sam Curran is returning from injury, stalwarts Jimmy Anderson, Hashim Amla, & Darren Stevens are still around, while South Africans Simon Harmer, George Linde, and Kyle Abbott can wreck mayhem on their day.

For the overseas stars, I am looking forward to out-of-favor Cheteshwar Pujara and Pakistani internationals in Mohammad Abbas, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Mohammad Rizwan. Tom Haines & Josh de Caires are some popular youngsters to watch.

Also Read: Why The World Needs Sam Curran: Calm, Charismatic, Courageous

The Predictions

1. In-Depth Football and Cricket

  • #WinnerDiv1: Hampshire
  • #WinnerDiv2: Nottingshamshire
  • #MostRuns: Dom Sibley
  • #MostWickets: Kyle Abbott
  • #LookingForwardTo: Vince’s cover drives, underdogs pulling off upsets, youngsters making themselves known.

2. Brian Painting

  • #WinnerDiv1: Surrey
  • #WinnerDiv2: Notts
  • #MostRuns: Hashim Amla
  • #MostWickets: Simon Harmer
  • #LookingForwardTo: Watching cricket at New Road in the spring sunshine, The Cheltenham cricket festival, Naseem Shah bowling, Ollie Pope batting

3. Bex #DenlyMemeTeam

Oh I’ve got no idea, but I’d go for the same winners here (no bias, of course). Looking forward to watching Joe Denly bat and Simon Harmer bowl.

Also Read: Joe Denly and Joe Biden: The Importance of Being Joe

4. Longbob Jimshanks

  • #WinnerDiv1: Surrey
  • #WinnerDiv2: Notts
  • #MostRuns: Matt Renshaw
  • #MostWickets: Kemar Roach
  • #LookingForwardTo: Robin Smith not being at Headingly

Also before you check out the rest of the predictions, check out BCD’s other social media pages and consider subscribing to our newsletter. It would really help support this website.

5. Adam Sutherland

  • #WinnerDiv1: Essex
  • #WinnerDiv2: Nottinghamshire
  • #MostRuns: Ollie Pope
  • #MostWickets: Simon Harmer
  • #LookingForwardTo: Watching Amla and Pope bat together at the Oval.

6. Massimo

  • #WinnerDiv1: Lancashire
  • #WinnerDiv2: Notts
  • #MostRuns: Jake Libby
  • #MostWickets: Ethan Bamber
  • #LookingForwardTo: Shaheen Afridi, Tim Murtagh and Ethan Bamber rolling through sides in div 2

7. Saoirse del Tufo

  • #WinnerDiv1: Essex
  • #WinnerDiv2: Durham
  • #MostRuns: Burns
  • #MostWickets: S Cook
  • #LookingForwardTo: Most Excited by this Essex team, a bunch of young talented players and some Stevo specials!

8. James McCaghrey

  • #WinnerDiv1: Essex
  • #WinnerDiv2: Notts
  • #MostRuns: Haines
  • #MostWickets: Abbas
  • #LookingForwardTo: Pope making a massive score, Haines attacking and Cook taking wickets.

9. Andy Heustice

“Jordan Cox, Ollie Robinson in batting, Matt Milnes and Harry Podmore in bowling. Young Zimbabwean all rounder Tawanda Muyeye who might play a few games.”

– On players to watch out from Kent

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, 2022. Originally published on 04/07/2022. 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).

History of Women’s Cricket World Cup: List of Winners, Hosts, Statistics, Most Runs, Most Wickets

The 2022 Women’s Cricket World Cup is right around the corner, and we are here all for it!

Women’s cricket has become mainstream over the last decade, especially with the breakthrough 2017 ODI World Cup and the 2020 T20 World Cup final, but how much do we really about it?

The general public can remember who won the 1979 Cricket World Cup, Kapil Dev’s 1983 catch, Wasim Akram’s 1992 swing, South Africa’s collapses, and Australia’s dominance in men’s cricket. Here we will educate ourselves about the Women’s Cricket World Cup—How many World Cups have happened, what happened in each world cup, who is the highest runs scorer, wicket taker, and much more!

By the end of this article, you will know everything from history to prepare yourself for the upcoming 2022 Cricket World cup.

Table of Contents

Facts About Women’s Cricket World Cup

Did You Know?

  1. Cricket’s first ODI World Cup was the 1973 Women’s Cricket World Cup, not the 1975 Men’s Cricket World Cup.
  2. Denmark played cricket? That’s right. While teams like Ireland and Netherlands made their impact in men’s world cup in the 2000s, teams like Ireland, Denmark, and Netherlands made their Women’s World Cup debut from the 1988 & 1993 world cups onwards.
  3. In the 1973 World Cup, Jamaica & Trinidad and Tobago played as separate nations, not under West Indies.
  4. Belinda Clark scored 229* in the 1997 World Cup vs Denmark, the highest ODI score across cricket at that time.
  5. In the 1973 & 1982 World Cup, an International XI was fielded as one of teams, comprised of players from England, New Zealand, Netherlands, Australia, India, Trinidad, and Jamaica.
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images

Also Read:

  1. 20 Years of Mithali Raj And Jhulan Goswami: Eternal Legends for Indian & Women Cricket
  2. Greatest Women’s Cricketers of All Time
  3. What If India had won the 2017 ODI World Cup?
  4. What Can Ellyse Perry Not Do?
  5. Case For 5-Day Tests In Women’s Cricket?
  6. Need For Change in Women’s Cricket: Hoping Against Hope
  7. Controversy Alert: Who Cares About Women’s Cricket Anyway?

Stats

Most Wins

How Many Times Have They Won?Runners-Up
Australia6 (1978, 1982, 1988, 1997, 2005, 2013)2 (1973, 2000)
England4 (1973, 1993, 2009, 2017)3 (1978, 1982, 1988)
New Zealand1 (2000)3 (1993, 1997, 2009)
India02 (2005, 2017)
West Indies01 (2013)

Most Runs

World CupsMatchesRunsBestAverage50s/100s
Debbie Hockley (New Zealand)1982-2000451501100*42.8810/2
Jan Brittin (England)1982-1997361299138*43.303/4
Charlotte Edwards (England)1997-2013301231173*53.527/4
Belinda Clark
(Australia)
1993-2005311151229*60.576/1
Mithali Raj
(India)
2000-202231*113910954.239/2

*will be playing the 2022 ODI World Cup

Most Wickets

World CupsMatchesWicketsBest Figures4/5
Lyn Fullston
(Australia)
1982-198820395/272/2
Carole Hodges
(England)
1982-199324374/33/0
Clare Taylor
(England)
1988-200525364/132/0
Jhulan Goswami
(India)
2005-200228364/162/0
Cathryn Fitzpatrick
(Australia)
1993-200525333/182/0

Most Dismissals

World CupsMatchesDismissals
(Catches/Stumpings)
Best
Jane Smit
(England)
1993-20052940 (22/18)4 (2/2)
Rebecca Rolls
(New Zealand)
1997-20052232 (24/8)4 (4/0)
Anju Jain
(India)
1993-20052431 (14/17)5 (3/2)

Most Catches

World CupsMatchesCatches
Jan Brittin
(England)
1982-19973619
Jhulan Goswami
(India)
2005-20172816
Lydia Greenway
(England)
2005-20131814

1. 1973 Women’s Cricket World Cup

Venue: England

Winner: England 🥇

Runners Up: Australia 🥈

  • Teams: 7 (England, Australia, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Young England, International XI)
  • Format: Round Robin (6 matches each), 21 matches total
  • Highest Run-Scorer: Enid Bakewell (264) – England
  • Highest Wicket Taker: Rosalind Heggs (12) – Young England

Fun Fact: England were captained by Rachael Heyhoe Flint, who is quoted to be the “WG Grace of women’s cricket.”

Embed from Getty Images

2. 1978 Women’s Cricket World Cup

Venue: India

Winner: Australia 🥇

Runners Up: England 🥈

  • Teams: 4 (Australia, England, New Zealand, India)
  • Format: Round Robin (3 matches each), 6 matches total
  • Highest Run-Scorer: Margaret Jennings (127) – Australia
  • Highest Wicket Taker: Sharyn Hill (7) – Australia

Venue: New Zealand

Fun Fact: Australia won their first cricket world cup….first of their 20 world cups (5 men’s ODI, 1 T20 WC, 3 U-19 WC, 6 women’s ODI WC, 5 T20I WC)…WOW.

3. Hansells Vita Fresh 1982 Women’s Cricket World Cup

Venue: New Zealand

Winner: Australia 🥇

Runners Up: England 🥈

  • Teams: 5 (Australia, England, New Zealand, India, International XI)
  • Format: Triple Round Robin + Final (12 matches each), 31 matches total
  • Highest Run-Scorer: Jan Brittin (391) – England
  • Highest Wicket Taker: Lyn Fullston (23) – Australia (most in any women’s WC)

Fun Fact: Jackie Lord took 8-2-10-6 against India, women’s cricket best WC bowling figures to date. Electing to bat, NZ were bundled out for 80 in 58.5 overs via Diana Edulji’s 11.5-7-10-3 (60-over match). In reply, Lord helped bundle India for 37 in 35 overes.

Each team played each other THREE TIMES! Can you imagine that in today’s day and age? Also International XI makes a comeback.

Embed from Getty Images

4. Shell Bicentennial 1988 Women’s Cricket World Cup

Venue: Australia

Winner: Australia 🥇

Runners Up: England 🥈

  • Teams: 5 (Australia, England, New Zealand, Ireland, Netherlands)
  • Format: Double Round Robin + Playoffs (8 matches each), 22 matches total
  • Player of the Tournament: Carole Hodges (England)
  • Highest Run-Scorer: Lindsay Reeler (448) – Australia
  • Highest Wicket Taker: Lyn Fullston (16) – Australia

Fun Fact: Ireland & Netherlands make their cricket world cup debut.

Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images

5. 1993 Women’s Cricket World Cup

Venue: England

Winner: England

Runners Up: New Zealand

  • Teams: 8 (Australia, England, Australia, India, Ireland, West Indies, Denmark, Netherlands)
  • Format: Round Robin + Playoffs (7 matches each), 29 matches total
  • Highest Run-Scorer: Jan Brittin (416) – England
  • Highest Wicket Taker: Julie Harris (15) – New Zealand, Karen Smithies (England)

Fun Fact: The 1993 WWC was on the verge of being cancelled before a last minute £90,000 donation. Denmark comes into the cricketing market.

Embed from Getty Images

6. Hero Honda 1997 Women’s Cricket World Cup

Venue: India

Winner: Australia 🥇

Runners Up: New Zealand🥈

  • Teams: 11 (Australia, England, South Africa, Ireland, Denmark, Pakistan, New Zealand, India, Netherlands, Sri Lanka, West Indies)
  • Format: Round Robin (2 groups) + Quarter-Finals + Semi-Finals + Finals, 33 matches totals
  • Highest Run-Scorer: Debbie Hockley (456) – New Zealand (most in any women’s WC)
  • Highest Wicket Taker: Katrina Keenan (13) – New Zealand

Fun Fact: Belinda Clark 229* (pushing Australia to 412/7, best WC score ever till date) and Charlotte Edwards’ 173 broke ODI batting world records, Pakistan collapsed for 27/10 (lowest ever WC score), and Jhulan Goswami, on ball duty, was inspired to take up the sport as a child. The beginning of professionalization of women’s cricket (from skirts/culottes to trousers)

Embed from Getty Images

If you like this content on Captain Virat Kohli, please subscribe above for FREE and follow us on our social media accounts.

Follow us here if you are on Medium or Bloglovin‘.

7. CricInfo 2000 Women’s Cricket World Cup

Venue: New Zealand

Winner: New Zealand 🥇

Runners Up: Australia 🥈

  • Teams: 8 (Australia, New Zealand, India, South Africa, England, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Netherlands)
  • Format: Round Robin + Semi-Finals + Finals, 31 matches total
  • Player of the Tournament: Lisa Keightley
  • Highest Run-Scorer: Karen Rolton (393) – Australia
  • Highest Wicket Taker: Charmaine Mason (17) – Australia

Fun Fact: A classic Australia Vs New Zealand final in New Zealand, who actually won their first (and only) ODI World Cup. The 2015 men’s world cup was actually just a revenge battle.

Embed from Getty Images

8. 2005 Women’s Cricket World Cup

Venue: South Africa

Winner: Australia 🥇

Runners Up: India 🥈

  • Teams: 8 (Australia, India, New Zealand, England, West indies, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Ireland)
  • Format: Round Robin + Semi-Finals + Finals, 31 matches total
  • Player of the Tournament: Karen Rolton (Australia) (Rolton boasts the best WC average across women’s WC – 74.92)
  • Highest Run-Scorer: Charlotte Edwards (280)
  • Highest Wicket Taker: Neetu David (20)

Fun Fact: Featured a star cast—Belinda Clark, Lisa Sthalekar, Karen Rolton, Lisa Keightley, Cathryn Fitzpatrick, Charlotte Edwards, Katherine Brunt, Isa Guha, Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, Anjum Chopra, Neetu David, Anisa Mohammeda clash of generations.

Embed from Getty Images

9. ICC 2009 Women’s Cricket World Cup

Venue: Australia

Winner: England 🥇

Runners Up: New Zealand 🥈

  • Teams: 8 (New Zealand, Australia, England, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies)
  • Format: 2 Groups + Super Six + Final, 25 matches total
  • Player of the Tournament: Claire Taylor (England)
  • Highest Run-Scorer: Claire Taylor (324) – England
  • Highest Wicket Taker: Laura Marsh (16) – England

ICC Team of the Tournament:

  1. Suzie Bates (NZ), 2. Shelley Nitschke (Aus), 3. Claire Taylor (Eng), 4. Mithali raj (Ind), 5. Charlotte Edwards (C – Eng), 6. Kate Pulford (NZ), 7. Sarah Taylor (WK – Eng), 8. Amita Sharma (Ind), 9. Katherine Brunt (Eng), 10. Priyanka Roy (Ind), 11. Laura Marsh (Eng), 12. Sophie Devine (NZ)

Fun Fact: Ellyse Perry makes her ODI World Cup debut at the age of 18 taking 3/40 in Australia’s first match of the World Cup.

Embed from Getty Images

10. ICC 2013 Women’s Cricket World Cup

Venue: India

Winner: Australia 🥇

Runners Up: West Indies 🥈

  • Teams: 8 (England, Sri Lanka, West Indies, India, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan)
  • Format: 2 Groups + Super Six + Final, 25 matches total
  • Player of the Tournament: Suzie Bates (New Zealand)
  • Highest Run-Scorer: Suzie Bates (407) – New Zealand
  • Highest Wicket Taker: Megan Schutt (15) – Australia

Fun Fact: India & Pakistan were the two teams that failed to qualify for the Super Sixes, while West Indies qualify for the Finals for the first (and only) time.

Embed from Getty Images

11. ICC 2017 Women’s Cricket World Cup

Venue: England & Wales

Winner: England

Runners Up: India

  • Teams: 8 (Australia, England, New Zealand, West indies, India, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Pakistan)
  • Format: Round Robin + Final
  • Player of the Tournament: Tammy Beaumont (England)
  • Highest Run-Scorer: Tammy Beaumont (410) – England
  • Highest Wicket Taker: Dane van Niekerk (15) – South Africa

ICC Team of the Tournament:

  1. Tammy Beaumont (Eng), 2. Laura Wolvaardt (SA), 3. Mithali Raj (C- Ind), 4. Ellyse Perry, 5. Sarah Taylor (WK – Eng), 6. Harmanpreet Kaur, 7. Deepti Sharma, 8. Marizanne Kapp (SA), 9. Anya Shrubsole (Eng), 10. Alex Hartley (Eng), 12. Natalie Sciver (Eng)

Fun Fact: Harmanpreet Kaur’s 171* in the semi-finals caught Australia. India lit up the tournament only to fall short due to a Shrubsole caused collapse in the final. Game changer for women’s cricket, bringing new fans to the game.

Embed from Getty Images

Sources: ICC History, Cricinfo

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, 2021. Originally published on 01/19/2022. 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).