We’ve heard a lot about how the Indian Premier League (IPL) is one of the best T20 leagues in the world (if not the best). The quality of cricket and player attraction is massive. The investment is huge as well. In fact, one of the reasons for most players from all across the world taking interest in the IPL has been the money that is involved.

Unlike most T20 leagues where the players are picked through a draft system where salary caps are more or less fixed, the IPL has an auction process. In this, franchises have bidding wars for players and there is no salary cap limit for a particular player. Hence, players tend to earn a lot more in the IPL than other leagues.

Here are five cricketers who managed to earn more in IPL compared to other leagues:

AB de Villiers

In May 2018, AB de Villiers shocked the world when he announced his retirement from international cricket. There was a lot of speculation if he would continue playing the IPL and participate in other leagues around the world. However, the South African star did turn out to play in a few leagues.

He played the Mzansi Super League (MSL) in South Africa late last year before turning out to play the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) and Pakistan Super League (PSL) at the start of this year. However, de Villiers didn’t even earn half as much as he did in the IPL.

The South African superstar is one of the key members of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) unit. Hence, last year, during the mega auctions, he was retained for a hefty sum of INR 11 crores. If his PSL and BPL earnings are put together, de Villiers earned around $400,000 to $450,000 which is roughly around INR 3-3.2 crore.

Andre Russell

Andre Russell is one of the most sought after T20 players in the world at the moment. He is an absolute game-changer with both bat and ball and hence, he usually attracts a lot of attention. Moreover, he has constantly featured in T20 leagues this year.

Despite having knee troubles, Russell has found ways of returning to action and playing franchise cricket. Earlier in the year, he played for Multan Sultans in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). However, his stint lasted just four games while he played the entire season of the IPL. After the World Cup, he turned out to play for Vancouver Knights in the Global T20 Canada. He then played a few games in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

However, despite all this, Russell earns a lot more in the IPL. In fact, all his earnings put together in other leagues don’t even come close to what he gets in the IPL. He was retained by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2018 for INR 7 crore. In the PSL and BPL accounted together, Russell gets approximately INR 3 crore. Moreover, the Global T20 Canada league had financial issues as well.

Chris Lynn

It is rather surprising to see someone like Chris Lynn not play international cricket regularly. However, it is due to his inconsistency that has led to his frequent axing from the side. Hence, Lynn has played a lot of T20 cricket around the world.

He has been a star attraction in most T20 leagues but Lynn hasn’t really featured in a lot of them this year. The Australian star is a blockbuster player in the Big Bash League (BBL) where he signed a million-dollar contract for five years with the Brisbane Heat. Meanwhile, he played Global T20 Canada earlier this year. He also featured in the IPL, playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders.

However, despite putting his earnings of the BBL and Global T20 Canada together, it doesn’t exceed that of what he earns from the IPL. The hard-hitting batsman was bought by KKR for a stunning amount of INR 9.6 crore in 2018 which was his salary in 2019 as well.

Kieron Pollard

West Indians are some of the most active cricketers in T20 cricket all around the world. They are among the most featured players in T20 leagues around the globe. Kieron Pollard is one of the favourites among them. He has played more T20s than the other two formats put together.

Throughout the year, Pollard is featuring in some or the other T20 league. Earlier in the year, he played in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) and Pakistan Super League (PSL). It was then the IPL in the middle before he turned out to play in the Global T20 Canada and then the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

However, Pollard’s earnings in the IPL are more than each one of those leagues put together. While he is in the Platinum category (where he gets approx INR 1.5 crore) in the PSL, he gets INR 5.4 crore while turning out for the Mumbai Indians. He is a marquee player in the CPL but earnings from that don’t cross INR 1.5-2 crore. Hence, overall, all his earnings put together from leagues fall short of his IPL earnings.

Rashid Khan

Rashid Khan might be one of the top picks every time a T20 side is made. In fact, he is one of the first picks in most drafts of a T20 league. The Afghan leg-spinner has become a superstar in world cricket. His ability to pick wickets and keep things tight at the same time makes him one of the best in the business.

He is one of the regular players in T20 leagues around the world. He played the Big Bash League (BBL) during the Australian summer earlier this year. Rashid played the IPL for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) before the World Cup in England. He stayed back in the UK and played the T20 Blast.

However, all the T20 leagues’ earnings don’t match his IPL earnings. In 2018, the Afghan superstar was bought for a stunning amount of INR 9 crore and his salary was the same in 2019.