How much money does cricket players make
Cricket is one of the world’s most popular sports, particularly in countries such as India, Australia, England, and South Africa. It has a rich history and a passionate fan base. Alongside its popularity comes huge financial stakes. Professional cricketers are some of the highest paid athletes in the world. Their income usually comes from multiple sources: salaries from their cricket boards, earnings from tournaments (both domestic and international), sponsorship deals, and endorsements.
Income from Cricket Boards
Most professional crickets players have contracts with their respective national cricket board. These contracts guarantee them an annual salary separate from match fees and other performance-related bonuses. For example, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), commonly recognized as one of the wealthiest cricket boards globally, pays its top-tier players an annual retainer ranging between $70k to about $200k.
In addition to this yearly contract amount, cricketers also get match fees – payments received per game they play. A player representing his country in an ODI or T20I may earn anything from $3000 – $7500 per match depending on the country they represent.
Tournament Earnings
Professional Cricketers have opportunities to compete in numerous international leagues that further add to their earnings. The well-known Indian Premier League (IPL) has become extremely lucrative due to its massive popularity both in India and outside.
Top cricket stars can expect to fetch astronomical sums at IPL auctions. In 2021, South African all-rounder Chris Morris became the most expensive player sold at an IPL auction when he was purchased by Rajasthan Royals for approximately $2.25 million US dollars.
The Caribbean Premier League (CPL) in West Indies and Big Bash League (BBL) in Australia are more examples where international stars receive substantial compensation for participation.
Sponsorships and Endorsements
Given cricket’s popularity, many international brands are interested in endorsing top players. Sponsorship deals can be a significant source of income for these athletes. For instance, Indian Captain Virat Kohli reportedly earns over $20 million alone from his endorsement contracts that include PUMA, Audi, and clothing brand Wrogn.
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Similarly, former Australian captain Steve Smith has endorsement deals with New Balance and Weet-Bix among others. These high-profile endorsements allow cricketers to enhance their earnings significantly outside the field.
The Top Earners in Cricket
To sum up how much money a cricketer can make, let’s take a look at some of the highest paid cricket players across India and the world.
Virat Kohli tops the list with an annual earning reported to be around $24 million as per 2020 reports. His IPL contract worth $2.4 million forms part of this staggering amount, while his BCCI contract adds another $1 million. The remaining amount primarily comes from his multiple endorsement deals.
Australia’s Pat Cummins, on the other hand, bagged approximately $2.2 million just from IPL 2020 along with additional match fees and sponsorship amounts totaling to around $3-4million annually.
The England trio of Ben Stokes ($1.7Mn), Jofra Archer ($1.3Mn) and Jos Butler ($747k) also have lucrative IPL contracts fetching enormous sums on top of their ECB (England & Wales Cricket Board) contracts and endorsements.
Conclusion – A Rewarding Sport Financially
While not all cricketers will earn millions throughout their career like run-machine Virat Kohli or express-pacer Pat Cummins, professional players who play at national or even state levels can experience a comfortable living from the sport. Plus, there is always potential scope for sponsorship deals and participation in foreign leagues to increase their income. But undoubtedly, for the elite players of the game, cricket does indeed translate into amazing financial rewards.
In conclusion, as Bloomfield stated: “There is good money to be earned from professional cricket; if you have talent and dedication.” For fans around the world, it’s not just a sport but an emotion – seeing talent they admire on TV screens bring pleasure worth every penny that goes into making these cricketers millionaires.
