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Although cricket is one of the lesser-known sports of the western hemisphere, it actually lines up as one of the most popular in the entire world! In countries such as India, Pakistan, Australia, Sri Lanka, and England, cricket is a sport loved by fans of all ages. In fact, cricket is one of the most profitable sports in India, making over a billion U.S. dollars in 2017. With all the success attributed to cricket’s popularity, cricket players can easily strike it rich, if they’re good enough. In fact, the top cricketers of the world are certainly living a life of luxury. Today, we’ll be looking at ten of the richest cricketers in the history of the sport.
Sachin Tendulkar
Regarded as the best batsman in the entire history of the sport, it’s no surprise that Sachin Tendulkar is the richest cricketer there is. With a whopping net worth of $120 million US, this star player is certainly living the good life. He was introduced to the sport at age 11 and quickly rose to fame.
In fact, Tendulkar has represented India in international tournaments for nearly twenty-four years and holds the record as the highest-run scorer. Additionally, Tendulkar holds the title as the first batsman and the only player to ever score a hundred centuries (one century equals 100 runs). In addition to his fame as a cricketer, Tendulkar is also an active philanthropist, helping 200 children annually to achieve better lives.
MS Dhoni
Mahendra Singh Dhoni, also known as MS Dhoni, is a very successful cricketer that lead the Indian team to several victories during his time as captain. In fact, India took home two Asia Cups, an ICC Champions Trophy, and even the international Cricket World Cup in 2011. Given his tremendous success, it makes sense that MS Dhoni carries with him a net worth of $111 million. He holds several unbroken records, including most wins in T20Is as well as most catches as wicket-keeper. In addition to being a famous cricketer, MS Dhoni is also known for starting the lifestyle brand called SEVEN, receiving India’s third-highest civilian award, as well as partaking in the production of his biographical film.
Virat Kohli
As the current captain of the Indian national cricket team, Virat Kohli has quite a lot to live up to after the previous captain’s many successes. Thankfully, his position as one of the top batsmen in the entire world greatly boosts his chances of victory. In fact, he’s already lead the under 19s team to win a World Cup in 2008! With a net worth of over $60 million, Virat Kohli is one of the most successful cricketers in the history of the sport. He also has a plethora of awards under his belt, such as the Player of the Year and Leading Cricketer of 2016.
Jacques Kallis
Unlike most of the other cricketers on the list, Jacques Kallis is from Cape Town, South Africa. Known as one of the best all-round cricketers, Jacques Kallis holds a very impressive batting average of over 55 runs per inning. Furthermore, Kallis is also known as the best batsman of South Africa.
Although he has long since retired, Jacques Kallis holds a net worth of $13 million. He’s known for being rock solid during his performance in the games, and fans love his batting style. In addition to playing the sport, Jacques Kallis is also known for his successful coaching career for the Knight Riders!
Ricky Ponting
Coming from the island continent of Australia, Ricky Ponting is an incredibly famous cricketer, commentator, and coach! Like many of the others, he’s also among those in the top list for batsman throughout the recorded history of the sport, although he is also great at being a bowler and a close catching fielder.
During his time as a cricketer, he has helped the Australian team achieve victory and take home multiple World Cups and Champions Trophies. With a net worth of $65 million at just a bit over the age of 40, Ricky Ponting is one of the richest cricketers to ever live. Nowadays, Ricky Ponting takes part in the sport by coaching and giving commentary.
Brian Lara
Next up on this list, we have Brian Lara from Trinidad, who joins the growing list of top batsmen in the world for his superb reflexes and amazing record. Lara is known for holding the highest individual score, the second-highest batting performance in the history of cricket, and the highest number of runs. Additionally, this superstar was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2012.
With an astonishing net worth of $60 million, Brian Lara has quite a few handfuls of extra cash to spend. Instead of splurging on luxuries, Lara is very involved as a philanthropist, establishing the Pearl and Bunty Lara Foundation, an organization focused on helping with social care problems.
Shane Warne
As a former captain of the Australian cricket team, Shane Warne is known for his many achievements as a bowler. This athlete is famous for taking the most wickets for any bowler, scoring more than three thousand Test runs, and winning a spot as the top five Wisden Cricketers of the Century. Although he has been retired for a multitude of years, Shane Warne still maintains a net worth of $50 million. As of right now, Warne works as an Australian commentator for cricket games on the Nine Network. Since his retirement, Warne also works with his charity foundation, which primarily focuses on improving the lives of children.
Virender Sehwag
Virender Sehwag is a very well known cricketer from Delhi, India, with a reputation for being a powerfully aggressive batsman. During his time as an athlete, Sehwag received the honor as the Wisden Leading cricketer in the world. He also took the leadership position of being the captain of the Delhi Daredevils as well as holds several records.
For example, he made the highest score as an Indian in Test and as the fastest triple century ever. With a net worth of $40 million, you can bet that Virender Sehwag is living a comfortable retired life. In his free time, Sehwag started an international school for underprivileged students.
Shane Watson
Up next, we have another Australian international cricketer. Although Shane Watson used to play for the national team of Australia, he is currently signed with the Chennai Super Kings. Watson has a nice balance of skills between a bowler and a batsman, and he’s an amazing all-rounder as well.
Various sources name Watson as the highest-paid non-Indian cricketer in the world, and he has a current net worth of $25 million. Watson holds many records in his name, including his position as the first player to hold a number one ranking for batting and all-rounder. Furthermore, he is the only player to score a century and take four wickets in an inning.
Yuvraj Singh
Last but not least, we’ll be finishing up with yet another Indian cricketer, Yuvraj Singh. Primarily known for his position as an all-rounder, Singh successfully served as the vice-captain of the Indian ODI team. One of his most famous plays was when he hit six sixes in one against England for a game. Fans love Singh for his dedication to the game and perseverance through personal difficulties. Although he has retired from international cricket, Singh holds $35 million as his net worth. In his free time, Singh created a charity called YouWeCan, which has helped provide cancer treatment to hundreds of patients.