(Jamaica Gleaner) West Indies opener Chris Gayle is set to land the biggest contract during the upcoming Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Twenty20 tournament.
One of the most sought after players in world Twenty20 cricket, Gayle, according to Gleaner sources, is set to collect in the region of US$250,000 (J$24,661,861).
“If some persons are saying that he (Gayle) is set to earn in excess of (US) $150,000 I would think most of those persons would be right,” CPL operations manager, Carlisle Powell, told The Gleaner.
“He (Gayle) is after all the world-record holder in Twenty20s with a highest score of 175 and a consistent performer wherever he has played around the world,” he added.
Gayle, who has been assigned to the franchise team that will be based in Jamaica, in the meanwhile, is set to earn close to US$100,000 more than the other 11 iconic franchise players that have been named.
It is understood that the franchise players, five regional and six international, are slated to earn between US$100,000 (J$9,864,744) and US$150,000 (J$14,797,271).
The regional franchise players in addition to Gayle are: Dwayne Bravo, Marlon Samuels, Sunil Narine, Darren Sammy and Kieron Pollard.
Muttiah Muralitharan, Herschelle Gibbs, Ricky Ponting, Mohammad Hafeez, Ross Taylor and Shoaib Malik head the international franchise players listing.
Other players
Meanwhile, as it relates to the tournament’s other 78 players, it is understood that they will be handed contracts based on the pools that have been placed heading into next Wednesday’s player draft in Jamaica.
The players have been placed in three pools, A, B and C with A featuring primarily established regional and international players, B regional first-class players, and C regional Under-23 players.
Pool A, is set to have a salary range cap between US$100,000 and US$70,000 (J$6,870,500), Pool B between US$70,000 and US$20,000 (J$1,963,000) and Pool C between U$20,000 and US$5,000 (J$493,237).
The near month-long tournament will be held between July 30 and August 24 in St Lucia, Antigua, Barbados, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, and Jamaica.
