Highest paid player from each of the top 5 countries
The Gentleman's Game has seen a huge influx of money, brought about mainly by the introduction of various T20 leagues around the world, most notably the IPL. With the huge amounts of money on offer, cricket boards have had to revise their wage structures and offer much more lucrative contracts to their players.
This is a list of the highest earning player from each of the top 5 cricket playing nations. The figures are earnings solely from international matches, and do not take into account player earnings from T20 leagues and other domestic engagements or endorsements.
#5 Kane Williamson, New Zealand - $0.25 million
Kane Williamson earned $205,266 for 2016-17, with match fees at $8495 per Test, $3682 per one-day international and $2407 for a T20 international. He is the highest player in New Zealand Cricket's contract list and is slated for a 2.5% increase in his annual retainer.
However, money is not a motivator for Williamson. He had no hesitation in parting with his match fees for the entire ODI series against Pakistan in the UAE last year. He donated thousands of dollars to the families of the Peshawar school attack victims, showing his philanthropic nature.