Chris Gayle and Shahid Afridi bank $50,000 minimum. How much will other Abu Dhabi T10 stars earn? In pictures

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  Chris Gayle (Team Abu Dhabi, $50,000 minimum) Each of the eight teams are permitted one marquee player whose fee is $50,000 or above. Gayle’s is believed to be nearer to double that. AFP

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  Sunil Narine (Deccan Gladiators, $50,000 minimum) The two-time IPL MVP is the nominated “icon” player for last year’s runner up. As such, his fee will be at least $50,000. Getty Images

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  Shahid Afridi (Qalandars, $50,000 minimum) Nearly a quarter of a century after he first played a one-day international in Sharjah, Afridi is set to play for Qalandars this season. AFP

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  Shoaib Malik (Maratha Arabians, $50,000 minimum) Afridi’s former Pakistan teammate will be tasked with leading Maratha Arabians’ title defence, as he takes over from Dwayne Bravo as captain. AFP

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  Nicholas Pooran (Northern Warriors, $50,000 minimum) A T10 winner with the Northern Warriors in Sharjah two years ago, the big-hitting left-hander is back to help them regain their title. AFP

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  Mohammed Hafeez (Qalandars, $35,000) Getting better with age in T20 cricket, and Qalandars will be hoping he is just as capable in half the amount of overs. AFP

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  Hardus Viljoen (Pune Devils, $35,000) The leading wicket-taker in the tournament when Northern Warriors won two seasons ago, the South African fast bowler was a Category A pick for the new team, Pune Devils. Reuters

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  Pravin Tambe (Maratha Arabians, $20,000) The 5ft 5in leg-spinner will be 50 on his next birthday. He took the first five-wicket haul in T10 history back in 2018. Getty Images

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  Ajantha Mendis (Pune Devils, $20,000) The Sri Lankan mystery spinner announced his retirement from cricket in 2019, but was a Category B pick by Pune in the draft. AFP

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  Ravi Rampaul (Deccan Gladiators, $20,000) The former West Indies seamer was a Category B pick for Deccan at the draft, entitling him to $20,000. Pawan Singh / The National

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  Sohail Tanvir (Qalandars, $20,000) Nearly 13 years after he was one of the stars of the first IPL, he will be back in action in the T10 competition, having also starred in this format in years past. Getty Images

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  Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Delhi Bulls, $10,000) The Afghan wicketkeeper is in prime form, having hit nine sixes while making a century on his ODI debut against Ireland at Zayed Cricket Stadium last week. AFP

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  Sompal Kami (Maratha Arabians, $10,000) The Nepal allrounder will follow his compatriots Sandeep Lamichhane and Paras Khadka in playing in Abu Dhabi. Both featured in the T10 last season. Chris Whiteoak/The National

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  Najibullah Zadran (Team Abu Dhabi, $10,000) The left-handed power-hitter should be acclimatised to the conditions, having been in Abu Dhabi for most of this month with Afghanistan. AFP

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  Sohail Akhtar (Qalandars, $10,000) Odd to think that a player who found fame captaining Lahore Qalandars had to be drafted for their T10 version, but he was a Category C pick. AFP

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  Karthik Meiyappan (Team Abu Dhabi, $5,000) UAE-resident players are due to earn $5,000 for featuring in the T10. Leg-spinner Meiyappan will be alongside his national team colleague Rohan Mustafa at Team Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Kashif Daud (Delhi Bulls, $5,000) He might have had to wait till he is nearly 35 for his shot at stardom, but the Sharjah-based coach has had a fine month. He debuted for UAE at the start of January, and now is in the T10. Antonie Robertson / The National

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  Aryan Lakra (Bangla Tigers, $5,000) Missed out on the chance of making his UAE senior debut this month after testing positive for Covid, but he is back fit and in training with Bangla Tigers now. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Shiraz Ahmed (Delhi Bulls, $5,000) The outstanding UAE player last season, as part of Maratha Arabians title win – he has followed coach Andy Flower in Delhi Bulls this time around. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Vriitya Aravind (Pune Devils, $5,000) One of the bright young prospects of UAE cricket, his fee for the T10 should help offset some of his tuition costs for his studies at Loughborough University. Courtesy ICC

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  Kushal Malla (Team Abu Dhabi, $5,000) An emerging player pick by Team Abu Dhabi, the left-handed all-rounder caught eye last year by becoming the youngest player to score an ODI half-century. Subas Humagain for The National

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  Noor Ahmed (Bangla Tigers, $5,000) The left-arm wrist-spinner only turned 16 earlier this month, while playing for Melbourne Renegades in the BBL. He was an emerging player pick for Bangla Tigers. Gallo Images

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  Hamdan Tahir (Deccan Gladiators, $5,000) Only 17, the UAE-based wicketkeeper found out he had been drafted to the T10 after playing in the domestic D20 last month. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The Covid pandemic might have forced cricket franchise owners the world over to tighten their belts, but the Abu Dhabi T10 still offers great earning potential for the players involved.

Several of the world’s most recognisable players will be plying their trade in the capital when the competition gets underway on Thursday.

Above is a photo gallery of what some of the stars will be making during the 10-day tournament. To move to the next image, simply swipe on your device or click on the arrows.