Champions Trophy 2025: Player with Higher Net Worth Than the Board to Feature in New Zealand-Pakistan Match

Pakistan vs New Zealand: The first match of the Champions Trophy 2025 will see Pakistan and New Zealand face off. A player in this match will have a personal income exceeding that of their cricket board.

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is set to begin in a few hours, with the tournament opener featuring the hosts, Pakistan, against New Zealand. This match will be played at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi at 2:30 PM IST (Indian Standard Time) and can be viewed in India on Jio Hotstar and Star Sports channels. A noteworthy aspect of this encounter is the participation of a player whose total earnings significantly surpass those of his cricket board.

That player is none other than Kane Williamson, the former captain of New Zealand. Having relinquished the captaincy before the Champions Trophy, Williamson will participate in the tournament as a batsman. In what could be the final stages of his cricketing career, he will aim to make each innings memorable. He will take the field as New Zealand's most experienced batsman in the opening match of the Champions Trophy against Pakistan. He is one of those players who is wealthier than his own cricket board. It's worth noting that Kane Williamson's total income is approximately ₹91.77 crore, which is about ₹16.77 crore more than his board's earnings.

New Zealand at 10th Position in Earnings

Looking at the top ten cricket boards, the New Zealand Cricket Board appears at the bottom. The New Zealand Cricket Board possesses only ₹75 crore (750 million rupees). The BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) is the wealthiest board, with a net worth exceeding the combined income of Cricket Australia and the England and Wales Cricket Board. In 2024, the BCCI's net worth was ₹18,760 crore, while Cricket Australia's total income was ₹658 crore. The England and Wales Cricket Board came in third with an income of ₹492 crore, followed by the Pakistan Cricket Board in fourth place with a net worth of ₹458 crore.

Sources of Williamson's Income

New Zealand's former captain, Kane Williamson, has consistently played in the IPL (Indian Premier League) since 2015. During this period, he joined Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2018 and earned ₹28 crore in salary from this franchise until 2023. In 2023, Gujarat Titans bought him for ₹2 crore . He wasn't bought by any team in the 2025 IPL auction. However, he endorses several brands and receives substantial income from New Zealand Cricket, contributing to his wealth exceeding that of his board.

Highest Earning Cricket Boards

India – ₹18,760 crore
Australia – ₹658 crore
England – ₹492 crore
Pakistan – ₹458 crore
Bangladesh – ₹425 crore
South Africa – ₹392 crore
Zimbabwe – ₹317 crore
Sri Lanka – ₹166 crore
West Indies – ₹125 crore
New Zealand – ₹75 crore