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Cricketers at the top of their game, particularly those who are T20 specialists, can now earn a lot of money from the sport. Players from Pakistan are no exception and here are the richest cricketers from within the country.
Who is the Richest Cricketer in Pakistan?
The richest cricketer to have come out of Pakistan is Imran Khan. As a former President of the country, his net worth has been boosted by non-cricketing activities, but he still made an exceptional living from the game.
Using income figures across all of his activities, Imran Khan’s net worth is said to be $70 million.
Top Pakistanis Cricketers by Net Worth
Imran Khan
Imran Khan was the inspirational captain who led Pakistan to their biggest success in the game. He was in charge of the team when they won the World Cup in Australia in 1992, beating England in the final.
This was a superb triumph for a side that was close to being eliminated at the group stage. He played before the days of franchise cricket, but his playing career, plus his later years in politics, have all contributed to that net worth of $70 million.
Shahid Khan Afridi
It’s no real surprise to see Shahid Afridi included near the top of this list. The man known as Boom Boom had a power hitting approach to his batting, while his faster leg spin made him a genuine all rounder.
Afridi was in demand all over the world as a T20 franchise player. He also featured for Pakistan in all three formats for many years, although he was most effective as a limited overs cricketer. His earnings from the game, along with many external endorsements, mean that Afridi’s net worth is reported to be around the $47 million mark.
Shoaib Malik
Shoaib Malik has enjoyed one of the longest careers of any cricketer, anywhere in the world. At the age of 41, he’s still turning out for the Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League, and there’s no sign of a retirement just yet.
He’s another player who has featured in franchise leagues all over the world and he’s played in more than 400 international matches for Pakistan. All of that cricket, across more than 20 years, together with a number of outside endorsements, mean that Shoaib Malik’s net worth is stated to be $25 million.
Mohammad Hafeez
A player who enjoyed a lengthy career with Pakistan, Mohammad Hafeez slots in at number three on this list with a net worth of $23 million. He played for 18 years between 2003 and 2021, featuring in all three formats and eventually registering 392 matches for his country.
He may be seen as a test specialist, but Hafeez played for a number of T20 franchises, including the Kolkata Knight Riders in the first edition of the IPL. That long career, coupled with some endorsements, has all helped to build Mohammad Hafeez’s fortune.
Azhar Ali
Azhar Ali has recently announced his retirement from international cricket, but he may yet feature for domestic teams moving forward. From his Pakistan debut in 2010, right through to his final game in 2022, Azhar played in 150 games for his country.
Strangely, he didn’t play a T20 international for Pakistan, but he did feature in some franchise cricket and he had a spell in England. All of these games over a long playing career, coupled with endorsements, means that Azhar Ali’s net worth stands at $15 million.
Saeed Anwar
He may have been retired for some time, but Saeed Anwar’s standing in Pakistan cricket means that he still enjoys a net worth of some $12 million. He played internationally for 14 years between 1989 and 2003 and featured in 55 tests and 247 One Day Internationals.
Many other cricketers go into coaching or even umpiring, but Saeed Anwar hasn’t done too much since leaving the game. Despite that, his overall net worth remains high.
Misbah Ul Haq
A prolific batter and a respected captain of Pakistan for many years, Misbah Ul Haq’s earning potential continued as he took up the role of the country’s full time head coach. He’s since moved on from that position, but all of that work has helped to build up an exceptional net worth of $9.8 million.
Misbah surely has the qualities needed to carry on in a coaching capacity and we can expect to see him in the dugouts around the world. His game may have been more suited to test cricket, but he was effective in T20s and he earned contracts with franchise teams including Rangpur Riders and the Barbados Tridents. All of that experience helped to increase his impressive income.
Fawad Alam
His awkward and patient batting style isn’t really designed for limited overs franchise cricket, but Fawad Alam has still made a significant living from the game. He made his international debut for Pakistan in 2009 and was famously left out in the wilderness before returning to the test team and making a number of centuries.
Fawad Alam’s franchise cricket has been limited to his native Pakistan, but he’s still managed to deliver an impressive net worth which is reported to be around $6 million.
Umar Akmal
He was a powerful hitter of a cricket ball and a useful wicket keeper who earned contracts with a number of T20 franchise teams. Umar Akmal played in the Caribbean Premier League, the Bangladesh Premier League and he also had a brief stint with Leicestershire in the County Championship.
Umar Akmal also plays extensively in the Pakistan Super League and he was capped 221 times by Pakistan across the three international formats. His international career may be over, but that hasn’t stopped Akmal from assembling an impressive net worth of $4.6 million.
Umar Gul
He was one of the best death bowlers in world cricket when he was at his peak, and that’s one reason why Umar Gul was a regular pick for T20 franchise teams. He even featured in the first edition of the IPL, playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2008.
Gul also played in all three formats for Pakistan and he featured in 237 international matches between 2003 and 2016. His appearances for various sides, along with external endorsements have all added up to a healthy total net worth of $2 million.
Final Thoughts
While Pakistani cricketers may be banned from the richest competition in the domestic game, they can clearly make an excellent living from the sport. The Indian Premier League has been out of bounds since 2009, but players in this country can still earn heavily from the Big Bash, the T20 Blast, the Caribbean Premier League and their own Pakistan Super League.
Most players on this list are T20 specialists, but there are some exceptions. Most have played international cricket in all three formats and that has allowed all of them to make appearances in some of the most important Twenty20 tournaments around the world.
Who will be the next Pakistani cricketer to break through and earn greater sums than the players on this list? Added interest in the Pakistan Super League and the availability of cricketers in most franchise leagues around the world, suggest that it won’t be long before we find out.
