Top 10 most affluent cricket boards in the world

Cricket is one of the most followed sports in India. There is an immense craze for the game among the people in India. And with the advent of the shortest form of the game, the game has undergone revolutionary changes in the last decade. The format has introduced a fast-paced, entertaining form of the game to the cricketing world and the game has been commercialized to a great extent to open multiple ways for its players to earn millions of dollars.

Cashing in on the craze for the fast-paced format of the game, the cricket boards across the globe have come up with several lucrative T20 leagues such as the Indian Premier League, Big Bash League, Caribbean Premier League, Bangladesh Premier League and the recent Pakistan Super League to generate more and more revenues. The short commercials after every over and drinks break, jersey sponsorship, tournament title sponsorship offers huge opportunities for the boards to make a considerable amount of money.

On that note, let us take a look at the top 10 richest cricket boards in the world based on their disclosed net worth.

#10 New Zealand Cricket (NZC) - $9 Million

The New Zealand Cricket board stands at the bottom of the list as the game of cricket is not as much popular in the country as rugby is. Compared to other cricketing bodies across the globe, the New Zealand Cricket board makes very little money. The net worth of NZ cricket board is $9 Million.

New Zealand Cricket generates most of its revenue from the sale of broadcasting rights of home internationals and a share of the broadcasting rights the ICC sells for its tournaments, such as the World Cup.

Its major sponsors include ANZ Bank New Zealand Limited, Ford Motor Company, Accor Hotels, BLK, Burger King, Caltex, Canterbury, G.J. Gardner, Hertz, Les Mills, Powerade, Totalisator Agency Board and Tui Beer.

#9 Cricket West Indies (CWI) - $15 Million

Cricket West Indies is actually a sporting confederation of over a dozen Caribbean cricket playing nations originally formed as the West Indies Cricket Board of Control in the early 1920s. The Caribbean team had literally ruled the world cricket from the 1970s to mid-1990s but later with the emergence of soccer, cricket has lost its sheen in the Caribbean countries.

But in 2013, a franchise based tournament, the Caribbean Premier League was introduced and it became an instant hit, giving some much needed financial aid to West Indies cricket. Currently, Cricket West Indies is the ninth richest cricket boards in the world with a net worth of $15 Million.

The major sponsors for Cricket West Indies include The Bank of Nova Scotia, BLK, Sandals Resorts, JetBlue Airways Corporation, Blue Waters T&T, and the Beltway Group.

#8 Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) - $20 Million

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is the national sports body for the administration and development of cricket in Sri Lanka. On 21st July 1981, Sri Lanka has come a full-time member of the International Cricket Council.

The Sri Lanka Cricket Board is currently the eighth richest cricket boards in the world with a net worth of Sri Lanka Cricket Board is $20 Million. The bulk of the board's revenue comes television broadcast rights. Major sponsors of Sri Lanka Cricket Board include Dialog Axiata PLC, MAS Holdings, AIA Group Limited, Singer Corporation, Huawei Technologies Limited, Swizt etc.

#7 Cricket Australia (CA) – $24 Million

Cricket Australia is a public limited company that governs the Australian cricket. It was originally founded in 1905 as the Australian Board of Control for International Cricket and since 2003 it has been called Cricket Australia.

Cricket Australia introduced the KFC T20 Bash League in 2011 and it has got massive response from all parts of the cricketing world to become a hit. Cricket Australia is the seventh richest cricket boards in the world with a net worth of $24 Million.

Major Sponsors for CA include Domain Group, Singtel Optus Pty Limited, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, KFC, XXXX Gold, Gillette, Toyota Motor Corporation, Asics, Bupa, Milo, Bet365 Group Limited, Qantas Airways, Mastercard Incorporated, Hardys Wine, The Gatorade Company, Weet-Bix and Specsavers Optical Group Ltd.

#6 Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) - $38 Million

Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) is the governing body for cricket in Zimbabwe with its headquarters in Harare. ZC has been a full member of the International Cricket Council since 6th July 1992. Cricket in Zimbabwe was at its peak in the 2000s. But with the majority of the senior players retiring from the international cricket in 2004, the young and inexperienced side suffered some series of defeats Sri Lanka and Australia. That led to the withdrawal of their Test status in 2005 and managed to make a comeback in 2011.

At present, Zimbabwe Cricket is the sixth richest cricketing boards in the world with a net worth of $38 Million. Its major sponsors include Castle Lager, Vega Sportswear, Coca-Cola, Sanctuary Insurance, uMax, Schweppes, ZimGold.

#5 Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) - $51 Million

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is the governing body of cricket in Bangladesh. It was founded in 1972 as Bangladesh Cricket Control Board (BCCB and later changed to BCB). BCB became a full-time member of International Cricket Council in June 2000. Bangladesh was the host of the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011 along with India and Sri Lanka.

Bangladesh Cricket Board has recently become the fifth richest cricket board in the world with a net worth of $51 Million. Its major Sponsors include Unilever Bangladesh Limited, PRAN-RFL Group, Fresh, Brac Bank, Qatar Airways, Aamra Network, Pan Pacific Hotels, and Resorts.

#4 Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) - $55 Million

The Pakistan Cricket Board is the controlling body for the game of cricket in Pakistan. It was founded as Board of Control for Cricket in Pakistan in 1948 but on 28 July 1952, it has been changed to its current name.

Despite being affected by terrorism and moving its home games to Dubai, the fan base in Pakistan, television rights and its frequent foreign tours have ensured PCB does fairly well on the economic front.

Currently, PCB is the fourth richest cricketing boards in the world with a net worth of $55 Million. Its major sponsors include Pepsi, United Bank Limited, Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited, and Cool& Cool.

#3 England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) - $59 Million

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is the governing body of cricket in England and Wales. It was formed on 1st January 1997. Being the inventor of the game, the following for all three formats of the game is equal in the country.

England is the inventor of the shortest form of the game and it is the first country to host an ODI World Cup. It is also set to host the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. With a net worth $59 Million, England and Wales Cricket Board stands third in the list of richest cricket boards in the world.

The major sponsors of ECB include, National Westminster Bank (Natwest), Kia Motors Corporation, Royal London Mutual Insurance Society Limited, Specsavers Optical Group Limited, Vitality Health, Toyota Motor Corporation, Hardys Wine, Greene King, Yorkshire Tea, New Balance Athletics, Rubicon, Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, Barrington, T.M. Lewin & Sons Limited.

#2 Cricket South Africa (CSA) - $79 Million

Cricket South Africa (CSA) is the governing body for professional and amateur cricket in South Africa. The board was originally formed as the United Cricket Board of South Africa in 1991 and later changed to Cricket South Africa.

Cricket South Africa is currently the second richest cricket board in the world. It has a net worth of $79 Million. CSA receives most of its revenue from the television rights.

CSA’s major sponsors include Standard Bank of South Africa Limited, Momentum, Sunfoil Series, KFC, New Balance Athletics, Castle Lager, Ram Couriers, Powerade, The Bidvest Group Limited, Ticket Pro, BitCo, Coca-Cola, Blue Label Telecoms, Virgin Active, Momentum Health, Kemach J.C Bamford Excavators Limited.

#1 Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) – $295 Million

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is the national governing body for the game of cricket in India. The board was created in December 1928. Its headquarters are currently in Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai with Mr. C.K Khanna being the acting president.

After India’s triumphant 1983 World Cup, the face of Indian cricket changed completely. With the contribution of its former president Jagmohan Dalmiya, the arrival of the Indian Premier League in 2008 and the immense fan base in India to make it a massive success, BCCI became the richest cricket board in the world. BCCI has a net worth US $295 million which is almost four times of that of the second richest cricket board.

Its major sponsors include Oppo Electronics Corporation, Paytm, Nike, Pepsi, Hyundai Motor Company, Janalakshmi Financial Services.