New Delhi: The qualifier stage of the T20 World Cup 2021 is underway in UAE and Oman. The Super 12 stage of this tournament would begin in Abu Dhabi on October 23 with a Super match between South Africa and Australia. The T20 World Cup 2021 would end on November 14. Team India would play their first match in the tournament against Pakistan on October 24. India, England, New Zealand, and the defending champions, West Indies all are seen as strong contenders for the title this year.
As the World Cup fever grips us, let us have a look at the 'World's Richest Cricketers' part of this T20 World Cup.
From Team India captain Virat Kohli to West Indies' star player Chris Gayle and Australia's Steve Smith all of them are a part of this list. Let us know about these wealthy cricketers part of this tournament.
Virat Kohli (Captain- Team India): This T20 World Cup would be Virat Kohli's last as a captain. Virat had recently announced him coming down from the post of Team India's T20 captain. Kohli is at the pole position in this list of the world's richest cricketers with a net worth of about Rs 450 crore ($60 million). BCCI has placed Virat in the A+ category and his annual salary is Rs 7 crore. Apart from this, he gets Rs 17 crore as an annual salary from RCB in IPL. According to a report, Virat charges Rs 5 crore for every promotional post on his Instagram account. Apart from this, he also does brand endorsement for many brands.
Pat Cummins (Fast Bowler- Australia): The second name in the list of the world's richest cricketers is quite surprising. It is none other than Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins, with an estimated net-worth of Rs 308 crores. He is considered one of the best fast bowlers in the world. This is the reason why KKR included him in their team during last year's auction for a whopping sum of Rs. 15.5 crore. Cummins represents Australia in all three forms of Cricket.
'Universe Boss' Chris Gayle (Star Batsman- West Indies): West Indies batsman Chris Gayle is known for his dynamic batting on-field and his luxurious and exuberant lifestyle off-field. 42-year-old Gayle has an estimated net worth of Rs 262 crore. According to reports, Gayle's annual earnings are around Rs 36 crores. He gets Rs 2 Crores annually from Punjab Kings (PBKS) as a salary for representing the team in IPL. Apart from this, he earns money through advertisements.
Shakib Al-Hassan (All-Rounder- Bangladesh): Bangladesh all-rounder and former captain of the team Shakib Al Hasan is also a part of this list due to his outstanding performance. His estimated net-worth is Rs. 262 Crores, the same as Chris Gayle. KKR pays Shakib an annual salary of Rs 3.2 crore to play for them in the IPL. Apart from this, Shakib earns a lot by playing for his national team and for other cricket leagues around the world. Apart from cricket, he also earns from endorsements and advertising.
Steve Smith (Former Captain- Australia): Australia's Steve Smith is included in the new 'Fabulous Four' of cricket along with Indian Captain Kohli, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson and English Captain Joe Root. His net worth is around Rs 187 crore ($25 million). However, during the Test match against South Africa, Smith was found guilty of ball-tampering, due to which he was also suspended. This majorly impacted Smith's income from advertisements and endorsements. He also plays for Delhi Capitals in IPL and gets an annual salary of Rs 2.2 Crores in exchange for his services. Apart from this, he owns a lot of real estate across the world.