Cricketers are becoming superstars, with many earning millions of dollars by competing in various tournaments across the world. Many of them who graced the greatest stage in the past period, however, fell into financial difficulties once their playing days were over.
The game now has a lot of business and marketing linked with it, which has made it a worldwide sport with a lot of money involved. It is now a foregone conclusion that if you have played International Cricket, you will have a secure financial future.
However, merely retiring from international cricket a few years ago did not imply that one could live off the profits earned throughout the profession. Some players have fallen into poverty as a result of their bad practices, such as match-fixing and so on. Players have squandered their fortunes and gone bankrupt for a variety of causes.
In this article, we look at 5 popular cricketers who had financial struggles after retiring:
1. Chris Cairns
Chris Cairns, the Kiwi all-rounder, was formerly regarded as one of New Zealand’s finest all-rounders, second only to Sir Richard Hadlee. Chris Cairns’ life was wonderful in 2010 when he worked as a diamond trader in Dubai. He was also freshly engaged to Mel Croser, an Australian. He was awarded a large sum in a libel action brought against former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi in 2012. Cairns, on the other hand, had a difficult time after suspicions of match-fixing arose, and it was disclosed in 2013 that he was under investigation by the police. Cairns had no choice but to clean bus shelters to make ends meet as the price of court procedures weighed heavily on his family.
2. Matthew Sinclair
Matthew Sinclair is most known for hitting a double tonne in his maiden Test for New Zealand, a remarkable achievement. He left international cricket in 2013 and became unemployed for a while. When he retired from cricket in 2013, he had no idea what was in store for him. Sinclair was unemployed for a while before landing a job as a salesperson. His marital life was also affected by his financial problems.
3. Graeme Pollock
Graeme Pollock was one of the best left-handed batsmen the world has ever seen, and it’s a shame that a promising career was cut short because of sporting isolation. Pollock hit a rough patch a few years back when he was diagnosed with colon cancer by physicians. Not only that, but he had Parkinson’s disease as well. When his brokerage firm went south, he lost $250,000 and was on the verge of losing his home due to his inability to repay loans. Pollock has been hampered by a stroke that has limited his mobility.
4. Arshad Khan
Arshad Khan made his Pakistan debut against the Windies in the 1997-98 series. Until 2006, he represented his country in nine Tests and 58 One-Day Internationals. He has also represented the Indian Cricket League’s Lahore Badshahs. Arshad’s finest bowling performance was against India in Kochi in 2005, when he took four wickets for 33 runs. According to the Khaleej Times, Arshad Khan is now based in Sydney, Australia, where he works as an Uber Taxi driver. This demonstrates the pitiful circumstances in which ex retired cricketers find themselves.
5. Janardhan Navle
Janardhan Navle was the first Indian wicketkeeper to play in a Test match. In India’s maiden Test against England at Lord’s in 1932, he wore the gloves. He appeared in a handful of matches for India in the format. According to some accounts, he spent his final days as a beggar on the Bombay-Pune Highway. Some other reports say that he worked as a watchman at a sugar factory in Pune during his final days. It’s a shame that a man who played in his country’s first-ever Test match ended up as a beggar shortly before his death.
