Gloucestershire’s left-arm seamer David Payne has secured a deal with the Indian Premier League’s Sunrisers Hyderabad ahead of the tournament’s opening fixture this Saturday. The 35-year-old, renowned for his white-ball prowess, continues to build on a remarkable career resurgence following a successful winter campaign.
Payne enjoyed a standout season recently, winning the Big Bash League with the Perth Scorchers and the ILT20 title in the United Arab Emirates with the Desert Vipers. His match-winning 3-18 in the BBL final against Sydney Sixers earned him the player of the match award and highlighted his match-winning abilities on the big stage.
Joining Sunrisers Hyderabad as a replacement for the injured Jack Edwards, Payne becomes part of a formidable squad boasting talents like Travis Head, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen, Liam Livingstone, and Brydon Carse under the guidance of former New Zealand spinner Daniel Vettori. While SRH will initially miss captain Pat Cummins due to injury, Payne’s inclusion adds depth and experience to their bowling attack. The team’s IPL campaign kicks off with a high-profile clash against defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore in Bengaluru.
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Payne’s IPL contract is reportedly worth 1.5 crore INR (£119,000), reflecting his growing value on the T20 circuit. Since joining Gloucestershire in 2009 and debuting in T20 cricket in 2010, Payne has focused exclusively on white-ball formats due to a long-standing ankle injury.
His white-ball statistics are impressive: over 233 T20 matches, he has taken 304 wickets at an exceptional average of 21.16, boasting an economy rate of just 8.03. Payne’s 2024 Vitality Blast season was extraordinary, as he claimed 33 wickets in 17 games—matching the record for most wickets in a single Blast season—and earned the Player of the Year accolade for his instrumental role in Gloucestershire’s campaign.
In 2025, Payne surpassed 200 T20 wickets for Gloucestershire and crossed the milestone of 300 career T20 wickets, cementing his status as one of England’s most effective white-ball bowlers. That October, he signed a contract extension keeping him at Gloucestershire until the end of the 2028 season.
Beyond county cricket, Payne has made an impact in The Hundred, initially representing Welsh Fire for four seasons before being drafted by Trent Rockets in 2026 for a £130,000 contract.
With his blend of experience, skill, and recent success, David Payne’s arrival at Sunrisers Hyderabad promises to be a significant boost as they chase IPL glory this season.