Top 10 overseas cricketers who have earned the most in the IPL

The IPL is the most lucrative cricket tournament in the world. With a staggering valuation of over $6 Billion, the IPL is the 4th most valuable sporting league in the world. The best players, both from India and around the world congregate for seven weeks to provide top notch T20 action to the viewers. The players make a fortune out of playing in the tournament. While Virat Kohli was the highest paid player in the 2020 season, with his price tag at INR 17 Crores, Pat Cummins came a close second, with a colossal sum of INR 15.5 Crores. Over the years, not only have Indian players enthralled the fans and earned huge sums of money, even foreign stars from around the world have made big bucks by featuring in the IPL. Let us have a look at the 10 overseas cricketers who have earned the most in the IPL (all amounts are in INR): 10. Lasith Malinga- 48.2 Crore Lasith Malinga. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) At the 10th place, we have Sri Lankan pace bowling legend Lasith Malinga. The Mumbai speedster is the highest wicket taker in IPL history, and has taken a whopping 170 wickets in the cash-rich league. Malinga’s average is an excellent 19.80 in the IPL, and he also has a decent economy rate of 7.14 runs per over. Throughout his decade long IPL career, Malinga has featured for just one team, the Mumbai Indians. In his entire IPL career, Malinga has earned a total income of INR 48,22,19,500. Malinga also won the prestigious Purple Cap award in the year 2011 when he picked up 28 wickets in the 4th edition of the IPL. However, the pacer could not feature in the 2020 edition of the IPL for his side. In spite of Malinga’s absence, the Mumbai outfit won the IPL for a record fifth time this year. 9. Glenn Maxwell- 49.1 Crore Glenn Maxwell. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI) When he is in his element, Glenn Maxwell can be devastating. The Australian has earned INR 49,17,75,400 in his IPL career thus far, and is currently offering his services for the Kings XI Punjab side. Maxwell has scored 1505 runs in his IPL career, but what makes him lethal is the fact that he has scored them at an imposing strike rate of 154.68. Maxwell has so far featured for Kings XI Punjab, Mumbai Indians and the Delhi Capitals. In the 2020 edition, he earned a sum of 10.75 Crores, but his performances were dismal. The right hander played 11 innings in the 2020 edition and scored just 108 runs. He averaged only 15.43 this year, and his strike rate too, was below par at 101.89. The 32-year-old would look to put the disappointment of the 2020 season behind him in the next edition of the IPL. 8. Ben Stokes- 52 Crore Ben Stokes. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI) He can pummel any bowling attack on his day. He can send down useful overs with the ball. And on the field, he is athletic too. Ben Stokes is one of the most sought after all-rounders of the modern era. The England cricketer has so far earned INR 52,00,00,000 from playing in the IPL. Ben Stokes has played just 4 seasons so far and there has not been a single IPL season where he has earned less than 10 Crores. The left hander has played 41 innings and scored 920 runs at an average of 26.29. He has also picked up 28 wickets in the cash-rich league. Stokes started his IPL career with the Rising Pune Supergiant side and now plays for the Rajasthan Royals. Stokes was in good form in the 2020 edition and scored 285 runs in 8 innings at an average of 40.71. He also scored 107* against Mumbai Indians. In the 2020 edition, the Rajasthan Royals paid a sum of INR 12.5 Crores to Stokes. 7. Chris Gayle- 56.5 Crore Chris Gayle. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI) He will qualify as one of the greatest batsmen in IPL cricket. Chris Gayle holds the record for the highest individual score (175) in IPL history and also holds the record for scoring the most number of hundreds in the league (6). The Jamaican batting legend has played 131 innings in the IPL and scored 4772 runs at an incredible average of 41.13. Gayle has played 12 seasons in the IPL and has earned INR 56,56,57,000. In the 2020 IPL edition, he showed flashes of his destructive self and scored 288 runs in 7 innings. He averaged 41.14 and also scored three half-centuries, and most importantly, looked fitter than ever this year. The left hander earned INR 2 Crores in the IPL this year. 6. David Miller- 58.2 Crore David Miller. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI) At the sixth place, we have South African batsman David Miller. The left hander has played 78 innings in the IPL and scored 1850 runs. He averages 33.04, and has also scored a hundred and 9 fifties. Miller has so far earned INR 58,24,54,000 in the IPL. The southpaw scored the third fastest century in IPL history in the year 2013, when he smashed a rampaging 38-ball 101 to help his side to overhaul a target of 191 against the Royal Challengers Bangalore outfit. In the 2020 IPL season, Miller was bought by the Rajasthan Royals side for INR 75 lakhs. In the only innings that he played in the 2020 edition, he was run out for 0. 5. David Warner- 58.5 Crore David Warner. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI) He holds the record for scoring the most number of fifties in IPL history. He stands third in the list of batsmen with the most runs in the tournament. With 5254 runs from 142 innings at an average of 42.71, David Warner can stake claim to being the greatest foreign batsman in IPL history. The stocky left hander has so far earned a sum of INR 58,50,17,300. Warner was once again in excellent form in the 2020 IPL edition, and scored 548 runs, including 4 half centuries. The SRH skipper received an astounding sum of INR 12.5 Crores in the 2020 edition. Warner started his IPL career with the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) before moving to Sunrisers Hyderabad in the year 2014. 4. Kieron Pollard- 69.1 Crore Kieron Pollard. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI) With a sum of INR 69,13,03,500, Kieron Pollard occupies the fourth place. The West Indian all-rounder has been a part of the Mumbai Indians side right from the year 2010 and has played a key role in the franchise lifting the IPL trophy on 5 occasions. Pollard has played 147 innings in the IPL and scored 3023 runs apart from picking 60 wickets for the Mumbai side. Apart from that, Pollard is one of the best fielders in the history of the tournament, and is known for his insane catches and outrageous saves on the field. In the 13th edition of the IPL, Pollard averaged 53.60 with the bat, and scored his runs at a strike rate of 191.43. He was retained by the Mumbai Indians for a sum of INR 5.4 Crores in the 2020 edition of the IPL. 3. Shane Watson- 77.1 Crore Shane Watson. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI) He has been a part of the IPL since its inception. He offered his services for the Rajasthan Royals from 2008 to 2015, then moved to the Royal Challengers Bangalore side for a couple of years and then played for the Chennai Super Kings from 2018 onwards. Shane Watson has earned a staggering sum of INR 77,13,48,250 from playing IPL. The Aussie veteran has played 141 innings and scored 3874 runs at an average of 30.99. The right hander has also scored 4 hundreds in the league. Watson also won the ‘Man of The Tournament’ award in the inaugural edition of the IPL. The right hander could score only 299 runs in the 2020 edition of the IPL for Chennai. Watson announced his retirement after CSK’s final match in the 13th edition. 2. Sunil Narine- 82.7 Crore Sunil Narine. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI) With cumulative IPL earnings of INR 82,74,78,000, Sunil Narine is at the second spot in the list of foreigners who have earned the most in the IPL. Narine has played 120 matches in the IPL and picked up 127 wickets. But then, what makes him an asset is the fact that his economy rate is just 6.78 runs per over. He has also scored 892 runs with the willow in the IPL. Narine was retained by the Kolkata Knight Riders for a colossal sum of INR 12.5 Crores in the 2020 edition. The off spinner did not have a good outing. In the 10 matches that he played this year, Narine could pick up only 5 wickets, his lowest tally in his IPL career. His economy rate too, was a high 7.95. With the bat, the left hander could score just 121 runs and his average was a miserable 13.44. 1. AB de Villiers- 91.5 Crore AB de Villiers. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI) Given the kind of talent that he has and his ability to change the fortunes of a match with his surreal deeds with the willow, it is no surprise that AB de Villiers grabs the top spot. The South African batting genius has earned a sum of INR 91,51,65,000 in IPL cricket over 13 editions. De Villiers has played 156 innings in IPL cricket and has amassed 4849 runs at an average of 40.40. The RCB batting maestro has also scored 38 fifties and 3 hundreds in IPL cricket. De Villiers started his journey in the IPL with the Delhi Capitals (then Delhi Daredevils) before moving to the Bangalore outfit in the year 2011. In the 2020 edition of the IPL, De Villiers scored 454 runs at a strike rate of close to 160. He was retained by the Bangalore side in the 2020 edition for a sum of INR 11 Crores. Note: All stats have been taken from Moneyball, Howstat cricket and iplt20.com

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Top 10 overseas cricketers who have earned the most in the IPL

Some of these players haven't played for so many seasons but have managed to earn a lot.

7. Chris Gayle- 56.5 Crore

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