Cricket scores predict how wealth inequality grows and where it stops

Researchers used cricket player statistics to model how economic inequality develops. They found that the distribution of runs scored by batters in the Indian Premier League closely matches real-world income and wealth inequality patterns.

Economists often struggle to get reliable data on income and wealth, especially over long periods. This paper suggests that sports data, which is plentiful and public, can act as a useful stand-in. It means researchers might be able to study how inequality evolves and its natural limits without needing sensitive financial records.