From Chris Cairns to Matthew Sinclair: 5 cricketers who went from riches to rags

First Published Nov 23, 2020, 5:43 PM IST

Cricket is one of the rising sports in the world. Nonetheless, there is handsome money in the sport, especially for the players who belong to the top nations, mostly India. Yet, despite starting as rich and earning millions, some of them have become poor later.

The sport of cricket is still on the rising stage. However, it can help the players make millions, provided they come up with phenomenal performances and become legendary players in the longer run.
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While most of the players from the top nation make handsome bucks, it is the players from India who become the richest, thanks to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), that is the wealthiest cricketing board. Nonetheless, the talent from overseas, too, is financially rewarded by the board, by earning them lucrative deals in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
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However, some players are so unfortunate that they don't have enough finances to sustain them in the long run, making them even go bankrupt in some cases. In the same light, we take a look at some rich players, who became poor and went to rags.
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Janardan Navle: Navle was one of the oldest cricketers of India, who made his debut as a wicketkeeper-batsman in 1932, at Lord's, against England. Although it is not clear as to how much he earned back then, it has been reported that he had spent his final days as a beggar, while some even say that he worked as a watchman in Pune, at a sugar mill. Pity that his life had to end on such a low note.
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Arshad Khan: The former Pakistani spinner played nine tests and 58 ODIs, besides playing in the Indian Cricket League (ICL) for Lahore Badshahs. He even has his best bowling figures against India (433). However, he is struggling for his daily earning, as he reportedly resides in Sydney, where he drives Uber Taxi. It shows the sorry state of sub-continent cricket boards, barring India.
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Matthew Sinclair: The formidable New Zealand batsman had scored a double century on his Test debut. Having represented the side across formats, he retired from the sport in 2013. However, he was reportedly jobless for some time, as lack of finances hampered his married life too. Since he did not complete his education, he struggled to find a proper job, while he apparently works as a salesperson for a real estate firm in Napier, which is barely enough to run his family.
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Adam Hollioake: The former English all-rounder was the captain of the side for a brief time, which proves that he must have earned handsomely during his time. Nonetheless, after his elder brother passed away in a car accident in 2002, he retired from the sport in 2007 to pursue his family business in Australia. However, after a year, as the recession hit in 2008, the financial profit of his business suffered heavily. It was three years later when he announced that he had gone bankrupt. Nonetheless, he has now become a mixed martial artist, where he is doing reasonably well to earn his livelihood.
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Chris Cairns: Probably the biggest name on the list, one would have never expected one of the greatest Kiwi all-rounders, Chris Cairns, to suffer this cursed fate. While he was an explosive batsman, he also used to be an infatuation for women, for his dashing physique. Nonetheless, it was in 2010 when he was reported to have been working as a Diamond merchant in Dubai. A couple of years later, he won a case against former IPL chairman, Lalit Modi, where he earned a handsome buck. However, he was alleged of match-fixing, as the legal proceedings drained his wealth. As of now, he reportedly cleans bus shelters in the trans-Tasman country to earn his resources.
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