Professional cricketers, often seen as the epitome of glamour and affluence, are not immune to financial setbacks. Despite the glitz and glory of the game, many cricketers find themselves grappling with monetary challenges. These economic struggles can arise from various sources, including mismanagement, lack of financial literacy, or unforeseen circumstances. One common pitfall is extravagant spending.
The allure of luxury cars, lavish homes, and designer wardrobes can lead to overspending, leaving cricketers with insufficient savings for their post-playing careers. Additionally, injuries and inconsistent performance can result in reduced income, especially for those reliant on match fees and endorsements.
Moreover, some cricketers fall victim to unscrupulous financial advisors or investment schemes, causing them to lose substantial sums of money. Cricket betting sites have all kinds of betting odds with them.
Here is a list of 5 cricketers who went bankrupt and lost all the money they earned during their careers.
Adam Hollioake
Hollioake made his debut for Surrey in 1993 and quickly rose to prominence, becoming the youngest Surrey captain at just 24 years old. One of his most notable achievements was leading the England cricket team to victory in the Sharjah Cup in 1997.
His dynamic captaincy and all-round skills made him a beloved figure among cricket fans. He was part of 39 international matches for England and announced his retirement in 1999. Post-retirement, he moved to Australia to take care of the family business but eventually, the business was declared bankrupt in 2011.
Graeme Pollock
Graeme Pollock was part of the South African cricket team for 23 Test matches and he had the fourth-highest average of 61 after Sir Donal Bradman's, Sir Donald Bradman’s (99.94), Adam Voges’ (61.87) and Steve Smith’s (61.37). Pollock’s financial instability started in 2016 when he suffered a $ 250000 loss in his brokerage business.
He was eventually diagnosed with colon cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and a heart attack. Pollock’s situation was so bad that he was on the verge of losing his house but at the last moment, BCCI and the IPL franchises came to his help.
Paul Strang
Paul Strang made his debut for the Zimbabwean national cricket team in 1994 and quickly gained recognition for his exceptional spin bowling. Strang was a key player for Zimbabwe during a period of transition in their cricketing history. He played a crucial role in several memorable matches, using his spin bowling skills to trouble even the best batsmen.
However, he made headlines when he got in trouble with the government suffered heavy financial losses, and contemplated suicide as well. Strang was in jail for some time and post that, he became a yoga practitioner in the Himalayas.
Matthew Sinclair
Former New Zealand cricketer Matthew Sinclair went bankrupt in 2017. He had played 33 Tests and 54 ODIs for New Zealand, scoring 2,113 and 1,304 runs respectively. He was also the first New Zealand batsman to score a double century on Test debut, against the West Indies in 1999. Sinclair retired from cricket in 2013 and struggled to find a job after that.
He had no formal education beyond high school and he had no other skills or experience. He also had a gambling problem, which contributed to his financial problems. In 2017, Sinclair filed for bankruptcy. He was declared bankrupt in 2018. He has since been working as a real estate salesman in Napier, New Zealand.
Chris Cairns
Another New Zealand cricketer Chris Cairns was declared bankrupt in 2020. He had played 62 Tests and 231 ODIs for New Zealand, scoring 5,132 and 5,523 runs respectively. He was also a member of the New Zealand team that won the Cricket World Cup in 1992.
Cairns retired from cricket in 2006 and went into business. He founded a sports management company and also invested in property. However, his businesses failed and he was declared bankrupt in 2020.
