Champions league winners list

The veteran, who has featured in every season since the inception of the world’s toughest T20 league, is set to make the landmark appearance at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday (May 28) against Gujarat Titans.

There is a lot of talk around his retirement, but the CSK skipper has brushed aside those rumours, stating that he has 8 to 9 months to decide his future. However, the former Indian captain gets an incredible chance to bow out in style.

Dhoni has the chance to land a title in what could be his final season as a player in the IPL. The script has worked very well in his favour so far, but standing in his way will be Hardik Pandya’s defending champions Gujarat Titans, who will be playing at their home.

If Dhoni’s magic works out, the veteran skipper will take CSK level with Mumbai Indians for most title wins. The seasoned captain has already achieved a record for leading the team to the final 10 times in their 14 seasons.

In 249 matches, Dhoni has scored 5082 runs, including 24 fifties, at an average of 39.09 and strike rate of 135.96. The 41-year-old is also the owner of the most dismissals record in IPL as well as T20 cricket (overall). In IPL, Dhoni has 178 dismissals (137 catches & 41 stumpings).

Among the 249 matches, Dhoni has appeared for CSK in 219 games and 30 times for now defunct Rising Pune Supergiant, a team which was part of the IPL in 2016 and 2017 seasons when CSK was banned.

While Dhoni already owns the record for most appearances in the IPL , the veteran is closely followed by the likes of Rohit Sharma and Dinesh Karthik, who have also been part of the IPL since 2008.

Most Matches Played in IPL

Earlier this season, Dhoni also crossed the landmark for 200 matches as captain in IPL. He is the only player to captain a team in over 200 matches and is now going to be the first player to earn 250 caps in IPL.

Apart from the four IPL titles in 2010, 2011, 2018 and 2021, Dhoni has also led Chennai Super Kings to two now discontinued Champions League (CLT20) title twice in 2010 and 2014. In 23 matches as captain of CSK in CLT20, Dhoni has led the team to 14 wins.

Tennis coach Judy Murray, rowing champion Heather Stanning and former world light-heavyweight boxing champion John Conteh are among leading sporting figures to be named in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

Murray, the former Great Britain Fed Cup coach and mother to Wimbledon champions Andy and Jamie, will receive an OBE for services to tennis, women in sport and charity.

She is the third member of her family to be honoured after Andy was knighted in the new year, while Jamie also received an OBE in 2016.

Double Olympic rowing champion Heather Stanning, who announced her retirement from the sport after successfully defending her title in Rio last summer, is also upgraded to an OBE.

Stanning had been awarded an MBE in the wake of her first Olympic triumph at London 2012.

Ireland rugby captain Rory Best, who won his 100th cap for his country late last year and is currently on tour with the Lions, is another recipient of an OBE for services to rugby.

Dick Greenwood, the former England flanker and coach, also receives an OBE for services to national and international rugby.

John Conteh, the Liverpool light-heavyweight who held the WBC light-heavyweight title between 1974 and 1978, is awarded an MBE for his services to the sport.

Scott Hann, the gymnastics coach who guided Max Whitlock to his historic double gold medal achievement at the Rio Olympics, is awarded an MBE.

And Brian Noble, the former Bradford Bulls and Great Britain coach who is the current director of rugby at Toronto Wolfpack, receives an MBE for services to rugby league and charirty.

Northern Ireland captain and Southampton midfielder Steven Davis is also awarded an MBE for services to football.

Jennie Price, the Sport England chief executive since 2007, receives a CBE for services to sport, specifically for her work increasing levels of female participation.

SPORTING HONOURS LIST

COMMANDER OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE (CBE)

Jennie Price: The Sport England chief executive is honoured for services to sport, in particular for increasing participation of women and girls.

OFFICERS OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE (OBE):

Rory Best: Ireland captain, currently on tour with the Lions, honoured for services to rugby after racking up 104 caps for his country and 13 years with Ulster.

Bill Furniss: After almost four decades as a swimming coach, took charge of the Team GB team that won nine medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Dick Greenwood: England rugby coach from 1983 to 1985, who won five caps for the national team, for services to national and international rugby.

Philip Kimberley: Former chair of England Hockey, who served in the role for more than 12 years, for services to hockey.

Rob Lewis: Director of computational fluid dynamics experts TotalSim for services to science applied to sport.

Judy Murray: Tennis coach, former Fed Cup captain and mother of Andy and Jamie Murray for services to tennis, women in sport and charity.

Laura Smith: Development officer for Angus Disability Sport for services to disability sports.

Heather Stanning, MBE: Recently retired double Olympic and double world champion rower, and Royal Artillery officer, for services to rowing.

MEMBERS OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE (MBE)

Michele Adams: Cardiff City Ladies manager in the FA Women’s Premier League National Division for services to girls’ football and women’s football in Wales.

Andy Banks: Diving coached who helped Tom Daley to a world title and Olympic bronze, who is now Australia’s Melbourne-based national coach, for services to diving.

John Beresford: Former Newcastle United player and long-time patron of the Show Racism the Red Card campaign for services to education.

Pam Butcher: Winner of the over-85 world table tennis singles and over-8 doubles title last year for services to her sport.

John Conteh: Former WBC light-heavyweight boxing champion and 1970 Commonwealth Games gold medalist for services to boxing.

Steven Davis: Northern Ireland captain and Southampton midfielder since 2012, after lengthy stints at Aston Villa, Fulham and Rangers, for services to football.

Marina Dolman: Bristol City Football Club president since 1997 who oversaw the recent transformation of Ashton Gate for services to football.

Joanne Eccles: British equestrian vaulting gold medalist at the European Championship and FEI World Equestrian Games for services to equestrian vaulting.

Terry Flanagan: One club player for Oldham who represented Great Britain at hooker for services to rugby league and to charity in the north west.

Natalie Gilmour: Star of the Great Britain Lionesses for services to women’s rugby league.

Scott Hann: Coach of double Olympic gold medallist Max Whitlock for services to gymnastics.

Claire Harvey: Team GB Paralympian, KPMG senior consultant and anti homophobia and transphobia steering group chair, for services to diversity, inclusion and sport.

Barry Hudson: Durham Amateur Rowing Club chairman for voluntary service to the community and rowing.

Danny Kerry: Coach of the Team GB Olympic gold medal-winning team for services to women’s hockey.

Diane Lampard: Leading showjumper and FEI gold medalist for services to equestrianism.

Michael Loosemore: :ead Consultant in Sport and Exercise Medicine at the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health for services to sports medicine.

Angie Malone: Two-time world champion wheelchair curler and British Paralympic team medalist for services to wheelchair curling.

Brian Noble: Former Great Britain coach and player, currently the Toronto Wolfpack’s director of rugby and BBC pundit, for services to rugby league and charity.

Jonathan Rea: Two-time Superbike World Championship winner for services to motorcycle racing.

Melville Young: Homeless World Cup president for services to sport and social entrepreneurship.

The old saying goes that money can’t buy happiness – but it certainly could allow Bukayo Saka to afford the biggest car collection in football after penning a new contract at Arsenal .

Despite missing out on this season’s Premier League crown, the Gunners pulled the trigger to extend Saka’s stay at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday. It’s understood the England winger will earn a base salary worth £200,000 a week, but performance bonuses could take his wage up to around £290,000 a week (or £15million per year).

That puts Saka in the frame to rake in around £60m over the course of his four-year deal, which would be enough to buy superyachts, lordly manors or a fleet of private jets. Or, should he desire, the 21-year-old could try to tempt both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo into selling him their entire car collections.

READ MORE: Football fans do double take as forgotten Arsenal title winner picks up Man City medal

The two biggest names in football have largely dominated the Ballon d’Or ballot for the past 15 years, claiming 12 of the 14 gongs distributed since 2008 between them. Both Messi and Ronaldo have spent most of that period atop football’s rich list, building the kind of fortunes to afford the best vehicles money can buy.

And despite his more demure reputation compared to Ronaldo, it’s actually Messi who’s understood to boast the more valuable mountain of motors, valued at around £30m. The vast majority of that is attributed to just one car, however, after the Argentina hero reportedly outbid Ronaldo to buy a 1957 Ferrari 335 S Spider Scaglietti for £25m in 2016.

There is debate as to whom actually owns the Spider Scaglietti, however, with only four of that model believed to be in existence. Also among Messi’s automobile arsenal is a £2m Pagani Zonda, a £200,000 Mercedes SLS, a £118,000 Audi R8 Spyder – and a Toyota Prius the World Cup -winner once received for free.

Which player should be Arsenal’s next top priority for a new contract? Let us know in the comments section below.

Ronaldo’s war chest of whips would eclipse his long-time rival’s were it not for that rare Ferrari number, though it’s still enough to make most peers wince. The Portugal ace has several Bugattis at his disposal and paid £8.5m for his Centodieci in October 2021, adding to the £1.7m Veyron and £2.15m Chiron he’s owned since 2016 and 2017, respectively.

Al-Nassr’s talisman appears to have a penchant for Italian models, too, considering he splurged £1.4m to acquire his Ferrari Monza after a tour of Maranello in 2020. That’s in addition to the list of Lamborghinis, Rolls Royces and Mercedes whips in his garage, which are believed to total around £17m altogether.

It’s unlikely Saka will seek to spend his suped-up salary in such a manner, but just the fact he could is a testament to the new tier of earnings he’s reached. Only £265,000-a-week Gabriel Jesus now earns more at Arsenal, and the youngster is looking forward to more success to come in north London.

“I am in the right place to make the next step,” said Saka after confirming his new deal at the Emirates. “I have seen a lot of positive change in my short time in the first team.

“It hurts a lot to even think about how we have ended this season and to think about what could have been, but one thing I can say is since the last two, three years I have been playing, I have seen this team and the club grow and we are going in the right direction.”

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