PSL History: Top 5 Most Expensive Players

As Cricket has become more fast-paced and commercialized, the T20 form of cricket has become the most popular form of cricket. It is a 3-and-a-half-hour wham bam cricket which provides people the much-anticipated thrill that they expect from a sporting event without eating into too much of their productive time.

Unlike earlier people now shy away from giving too much time to other formats of cricket which it demands. That’s why the popularity of Test and One-day cricket is on the decline which is making them less viable for the broadcasters and the investors who are putting their money in cricket.

By this trend, many T20 leagues are being created by different nations to cash in on the wave of the popularity of T20 cricket. However, given the packed calendar of the top nations and their pre-decided FTPs with the Apex Governing Council, it becomes extremely difficult to attract the top players of every country, which is one of the key metrics of the success of a league. 

Top T20 leagues of the world

In terms of eyeballs and the quality of cricket, there are only a handful of domestic T20 leagues that have gained some prominence and are the ones that are worth waiting every year. India’s IPL is one league that has been a role model for other leagues on how to run a successful league. 

Pakistan’s PSL is also another league that is rated pretty highly in terms of the quality of cricket it produces. Unlike other leagues where salaries are public knowledge, the PSL uses a draft system to assign players to teams. 

This means the exact amount a player earns isn't revealed. Instead, players are grouped into categories based on their skill and experience, with each category having a salary range. The top category, called Platinum, is for the star players. These cricketers can make anywhere from $130,000 to $170,000 during the tournament.  

Therefore, let’s find out the top 5 most expensive players in the PSL history:

#1. Shaheen Afridi

Pakistan’s premier left-handed pacer is ranked among one of the best white-ball bowlers in contemporary cricket which is why he is among the highest paid player in the PSL with a contract of up to $1,70,000 every year. 

Shaheen Afridi is a juggernaut in the PSL as he has led Lahore Qalandars to two consecutive titles in the tournament. He has only played in 6 out of the 9 PSL seasons so far, yet he has been 3rd in the list of the highest wicket-takers in the history of PSL.

His biggest strength is to break the momentum of the opposition by taking wickets in the start of the innings with his lethal in-swingers. Apart from that he also has a fifty to his name in the PSL and can hit the long ball in the end if required.

#2. Mohammed Rizwan

Mohammed Rizwan is another prize pick of the PSL who also is placed in the Platinum category and gets $1,70,000 annually. Rizwan has been the mainstay of Pakistan’s T20I batting line-up as well as the captain and the best batter of the PSL franchise Multan Sultan. 

He is known to anchor the innings towards and win the matches for his team single-handedly. He has scored 1996 runs in the PSL at a healthy average of 33.2. The wicketkeeper has also been an inspirational factor of the team who has led Multan Sultans to a PSL title win back in 2021 which justifies the highest-paid player tag in the tournament.

#3. Babar Azam

Babar Azam is considered to be the batter of the Pakistan team and is a role model for many young budding cricketers in Pakistan. He has churned out runs for fun in the PSL. In the 78 matches played so far, he has amassed 2935 runs at a decent average of 38.1. He also has a hundred to his name in PSL.

Babar enjoys a massive fan following in Pakistan, therefore whichever he plays will get the support of his loyal fanbase and if you add his consistent run in the PSL, it makes it even more evident why he should be among the highest-paid players of the PSL with an annual contract of $1,70,000.

#4. Shadab Khan

Shadab Khan is another Pakistani all-rounder who is on the list of the highest-paid cricketers in PSL 2024. He has been kept in the Platinum category which means he will be given $ 170,000 annually. Shadab Khan is the captain of the Islamabad United franchise and holds the key to their success in the tournament.

In PSL 2022, he was declared as the MVP of the tournament with 268 runs with and bat and 19 wickets with the ball in the tournament. His importance can be ascertained by the fact that no player so far in the history of the tournament has scored 250 runs and taken more than 15 wickets.

#5. Fakhar Zaman

Fakhar Zaman is the fifth player in the list of the highest-paid players in the PSL as he is also placed in the Platinum category and will receive a sum of $1,70,000 as remuneration in 2024. Fakhar Zaman has been Pakistan’s most explosive batter in recent times and can turn the course of the game on his head.

A recent example of his heroics was in the ODI World Cup where he took down Kiwi bowlers to help Pakistan chase the target of 400 plus by DLS method. Though he can be a bit inconsistent as time his game-changing abilities in the shortest format of the game are second to none.