The Indian Premier League is back after a five-month gap, which is great for cricket fans but also highlights the impact the pandemic has had on sports calendars.
Serial winners Mumbai Indians will defend the title they won in the UAE in Dubai in November, but this time in India after the tournament was shifted back home.
But wherever the tournament is held, one aspect remains constant – the best T20 players in the world at the best league in the world earning the highest salaries in the sport.
The tournament has become the final destination for many cricketers, who get paid fantastic sums of money for about two months of cricket. But who will get paid the most in the 2021 edition that begins on April 9? You can find them in the list below and the picture gallery above.
Top 10 highest paid cricketers in IPL 2021
1. Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore). 170 million rupees ($2.4m)
2. Chris Morris (Rajasthan Royals). 162.5m rupees ($2.2m)
3. Pat Cummins (Kolkata Knight Riders). 155m rupees ($2.1m)
4. MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings). 150m rupees ($2.06m)
5. Rohit Sharma (Mumbai Indians). 150m rupees ($2.06m)
6. Rishabh Pant (Delhi Capitals). 150m rupees ($2.06m)
7. Kyle Jamieson (Royal Challengers Bangalore). 150m rupees ($2.06m)
8. Glenn Maxwell (Royal Challengers Bangalore). 142.5m rupees ($1.96m)
9. Jhye Richardson (Punjab Kings).140m rupees ($1.92m)
10. David Warner (Sunrisers Hyderabad). IPL salary: 125m rupees ($1.72m)
How much does Virat Kohli earn in the IPL?
Virat Kohli ($2.4m)
The Royal Challengers Bangalore captain has undertaken yet another squad revamp in the pursuit of that elusive IPL title. He is the highest paid cricketer in IPL, which is understandable given the star value that he brings to the tournament and the eyeballs he attracts.
Chris Morris ($2.2m)
The South African all-rounder was snapped up by Rajasthan Royals for the highest-ever bid received by any player during the auction earlier this year. He bowls at 145kph and hits big sixes, which added all those zeroes to his pay package.
Pat Cummins ($2.1m)
The Australian star bowler is yet another proof of the infatuation the league has with world-class seam-bowling all-rounders. Picked up 12 wickets in 14 games for Kolkata Knight Riders in the UAE in 2020.
MS Dhoni ($2.06m)
Dhoni and Chennai Super Kings are joined at the hip. The very identity of the franchise is built around the wicketkeeper batsman. Dhoni still earns the big bucks but at nearly 40 years of age, you wonder how long this will last.
Rohit Sharma ($2.06m)
The Mumbai Indians leader is not only the most successful IPL captain, he has built what is without doubt the best T20 outfit at any level in the world. With five IPL titles as captain under his belt, Rohit deserves every rupee he gets.
Rishabh Pant ($2.06m)
The Delhi Capitals wicketkeeper batsman proved his worth in the final last year by scoring an attacking fifty. He is in vintage form at the international level, so expect a lot of fireworks from him. Could take over as captain with Shreyas Iyer injured.
Kyle Jamieson ($2.06m)
The Kiwi all-rounder decimated India's batting line-up in red and white-ball matches during their tour Down Under in 2020. Was handed a bumper contract for his efforts but has struggled to come to grips with his price tag, failing big time in T20s against Australia.
Glenn Maxwell ($1.96m)
The Australian all-rounder is an enigma. He has been around since the start of IPL but has yet to establish himself. Has been in and out of the Australian team, but somehow still lands fat contracts.
Jhye Richardson ($1.92m)
The Australian quick had a superb start to his white-ball career in 2017 but shoulder injury kept him out of the 2019 World Cup. The moment he recovered, and topped the wicket-taking charts in the Big Bash League, he hit the IPL jackpot.
David Warner ($1.72m)
The Australian opener has proven his worth as a batsman and captain at Sunrisers Hyderabad, winning the 2016 title. The longest surviving 'foreign' captain the league.
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Super Rugby play-offs
Quarter-finals
- Hurricanes 35, ACT 16
- Crusaders 17, Highlanders 0
- Lions 23, Sharks 21
- Chiefs 17, Stormers 11
Semi-finals
Saturday, July 29
- Crusaders v Chiefs, 12.35pm (UAE)
- Lions v Hurricanes, 4.30pm
RESULT
Manchester United 2 Burnley 2
Man United: Lingard (53', 90' 1)
Burnley: Barnes (3'), Defour (36')
Man of the Match: Jesse Lingard (Manchester United)
LIVING IN...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Match info
Deccan Gladiators 87-8
Asif Khan 25, Dwayne Bravo 2-16
Maratha Arabians 89-2
Chadwick Walton 51 not out
Arabians won the final by eight wickets
Uefa Nations League: How it Works
The Uefa Nations League, introduced last year, has reached its final stage, to be played over five days in northern Portugal. The format of its closing tournament is compact, spread over two semi-finals, with the first, Portugal versus Switzerland in Porto on Wednesday evening, and the second, England against the Netherlands, in Guimaraes, on Thursday.
The winners of each semi will then meet at Porto’s Dragao stadium on Sunday, with the losing semi-finalists contesting a third-place play-off in Guimaraes earlier that day.
Qualifying for the final stage was via League A of the inaugural Nations League, in which the top 12 European countries according to Uefa's co-efficient seeding system were divided into four groups, the teams playing each other twice between September and November. Portugal, who finished above Italy and Poland, successfully bid to host the finals.
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LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
MATCH INFO
World Cup 2022 qualifier
UAE v Indonesia, Thursday, 8pm
Venue: Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
MATCH INFO
Norwich City 1 (Cantwell 75') Manchester United 2 (Aghalo 51' 118') After extra time.
Man of the match Harry Maguire (Manchester United)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Is it worth it? We put cheesecake frap to the test.
The verdict from the nutritionists is damning. But does a cheesecake frappuccino taste good enough to merit the indulgence?
My advice is to only go there if you have unusually sweet tooth. I like my puddings, but this was a bit much even for me. The first hit is a winner, but it's downhill, slowly, from there. Each sip is a little less satisfying than the last, and maybe it was just all that sugar, but it isn't long before the rush is replaced by a creeping remorse. And half of the thing is still left.
The caramel version is far superior to the blueberry, too. If someone put a full caramel cheesecake through a liquidiser and scooped out the contents, it would probably taste something like this. Blueberry, on the other hand, has more of an artificial taste. It's like someone has tried to invent this drink in a lab, and while early results were promising, they're still in the testing phase. It isn't terrible, but something isn't quite right either.
So if you want an experience, go for a small, and opt for the caramel. But if you want a cheesecake, it's probably more satisfying, and not quite as unhealthy, to just order the real thing.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Europe's top EV producers
- Norway (63% of cars registered in 2021)
- Iceland (33%)
- Netherlands (20%)
- Sweden (19%)
- Austria (14%)
- Germany (14%)
- Denmark (13%)
- Switzerland (13%)
- United Kingdom (12%)
- Luxembourg (10%)
Source: VCOe
If you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Chicago from Dh5,215 return including taxes.
The hotels
Recommended hotels include the Intercontinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, located in an iconic skyscraper complete with a 1929 Olympic-size swimming pool from US$299 (Dh1,100) per night including taxes, and the Omni Chicago Hotel, an excellent value downtown address with elegant art deco furnishings and an excellent in-house restaurant. Rooms from US$239 (Dh877) per night including taxes.
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
