Cricket may not be a dominant sport in the United States, but globally, it stands as one of the most watched and celebrated athletic competitions. In fact, cricket is widely regarded as the second most popular sport in the world, surpassed only by soccer. The numbers speak for themselves. During the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, more than 400 million viewers tuned in to watch India face Sri Lanka in the final. Even more astonishing, India’s semi-final clash with Pakistan drew an estimated one billion viewers, making it the most-watched televised event of that year.
Much of cricket’s massive following is driven by India’s population of over 1 billion people, where the sport is woven deeply into the cultural fabric. However, cricket also enjoys passionate support in Pakistan, Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand, and several Caribbean nations. With such global reach, the sport’s top players don’t just enjoy athletic prestige — they also command major earnings through salaries and lucrative endorsements.
ALSO READ: Celebrities Who Declared Bankruptcy
One of cricket’s most iconic figures is Sachin Tendulkar, often compared to the legendary Michael Jordan for his cultural impact and sporting greatness. But he’s far from the only cricketer earning extraordinary income. Today’s top stars are global celebrities with international sponsorship deals and fan bases in the hundreds of millions.
Below is a look at some of the highest paid cricketers in the world, combining their player salaries and endorsement earnings.
Top Highest Paid Cricketers
| Rank | Player | Estimated Annual Earnings | Salary | Endorsements |
| 1 | MS Dhoni | $30 million | $3.5 million | $26.5 million |
| 2 | Sachin Tendulkar | $20 million | $2 million | $18 million |
| 3 | Virat Kohli | $9 million | $3 million | $6 million |
| 4 | Gautam Gambhir | $8 million | $4 million | $4 million |
| 5 | Virender Sehwag | $7 million | $3 million | $4 million |
| 6 | Shane Watson (Australia) | $6 million | $3 million | $3 million |
| 7 | Michael Clarke (Australia) | $5 million | $3 million | $2 million |
| 8 | Brett Lee (Australia) | $5 million | $2 million | $3 million |
| 9 | Ricky Ponting (Australia) | $4 million | $2 million | $2 million |
| 10 | Yusuf Pathan | $3.9 million | $3.3 million | $0.6 million |
| 11 | Yuvraj Singh | $3 million | — | — |
| 12 | Rohit Sharma | $2.3 million | — | — |
| 13 | Suresh Raina | $1.67 million | — | — |
| 14 | Rahul Dravid | $1.55 million | — | — |
| 15 | Harbhajan Singh | $1.53 million | — | — |
| 16 | Zaheer Khan | $1.32 million | — | — |
Why Cricket Stars Earn So Much
A huge portion of top cricketers’ wealth doesn’t just come from competition — it comes from brand endorsements. Global brands in banking, lifestyle, tech, automotive, and sportswear invest heavily in cricket ambassadors because of the sport’s massive audience reach. In India especially, top players are cultural icons, not just athletes.
