NEW DELHI: Batting star Virat Kohli will pick up the Indian Premier League’s largest-ever salary — $2.7 million — in this year’s tournament, with a host of big foreign names including Australian captain Steve Smith also cashing in.
Kohli will stay with Royal Challengers Bangalore alongside South Africa’s AB de Villiers, who will earn $1.7 million in the cash-rich event started by the Indian cricket board in 2008.
The Indian captain’s salary for the eight-team, 20-over tournament spread over two months beats the $2.5 million earned by allrounder Yuvraj Singh with Delhi in 2015.
Delhi Daredevils announced Ricky Ponting as head coach for the 2018 season. The batting legend coached Mumbai Indians to the 2015 title during a two-year stint.
Australian batsmen Smith and David Warner were also retained by their teams for $1.9 million each, making them the highest-paid foreign stars.
Smith will play for the Rajasthan Royals, returning from a two-year ban over match-fixing, and Warner with Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Chennai Super Kings, also returning to IPL after a two-year suspension, have former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni back on board.
But Kohli — who recently married Indian Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma — remains the top draw for the extravaganza in April and May.
Nicknamed King Kohli, the 29-year-old batsman is already listed among the world’s highest-paid athletes after smashing numerous records in his career.
He recently became the first batsman to score six double Test centuries as a captain.
Each team was allowed to re-sign up to three of their 2017 squad before the players are subject to bids from other teams in the auctions slated for January 27 and 28.
Another star performer, Ben Stokes, will be looking to re-enter the IPL fray in the auctions after he was granted a “no objection” certificate by the England and Wales Cricket Board.
The England allrounder, who missed the ongoing Ashes after being suspended for a pub brawl, was signed for a record fee of $2.16 million by Rising Pune Supergiant last year.
Kohli earns record $2.7 million salary for 2018 IPL campaign
Kohli earns record $2.7 million salary for 2018 IPL campaign
Record prize of up to $200k for a 9-darter at the Saudi Arabia Darts Masters
- Players who complete a perfect leg will receive $100,000, with the chance to double it by hitting the bullseye with a bonus 10th dart
- 8 Professional Darts Corporation stars will take on 8 of Asia’s top players in the tournament on Jan. 19 and 20 at the Global Theater in Boulevard City
RIYADH: Players at the Saudi Arabia Darts Masters in Riyadh next week have a chance to win a record-breaking cash prize for a nine-dart finish, with up to $200,000 up for grabs for a perfect leg.
Eight Professional Darts Corporation stars will take on eight of Asia’s leading players at the tournament, which is part of Riyadh Season, on Jan. 19 and 20 at the Global Theater in Boulevard City.
Turki Alalshikh, chairperson of the Kingdom’s General Entertainment Authority, revealed on Thursday that any player who hits a perfect nine-darter during the event will receive a $100,000 bonus, with the chance to double it through the Riyadh Season Bullseye Challenge.
With the leg already won, the player will throw a 10th dart, and if it hits the bullseye the prize will be doubled to $200,000, the biggest amount ever offered by a PDC-sanctioned event for a nine-darter.
Reigning world champion Luke Littler, who will head the line-up in Riyadh, previously hit a nine-darter on the World Series of Darts stage at the Bahrain Masters in 2024.
He will be joined by 2023/24 world champion Luke Humphries, world championship runner-up Gian van Veen, and three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen.
The PDC contingent also includes former world champion Gerwyn Price, world No. 7 Stephen Bunting, former UK Open winner Danny Noppert, and 2023 World Matchplay champion Nathan Aspinall.
Asia will be represented by Singapore veteran Paul Lim, who in 1990 famously threw the first televised World Darts Championship nine-darter, alongside Filipinos Alexis Toylo, Lourence Ilagan and Paolo Nebrida, Japan’s Motomu Sakai, Ryusei Azemoto and Tomoya Goto, and Hong Kong’s Man Lok Leung.
