Tag: European T20 League

Former India captain Rahul Dravid has been named co-owner of the Dublin Guardians in the new European T20 Premier League (ETPL), starting in August, as part of an Indian consortium.

Indian batting great Dravid is the latest in a string of former cricketers to take an ownership stake in one of the league’s six franchises based in Dublin, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Rotterdam and Amsterdam.

Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell is co-owner of Belfast Wolves, while former Australia captain Steve Waugh is among the owners of the Amsterdam Flames.

New Zealanders Nathan McCullum and Kyle Mills are owners of Edinburgh Castle Rockers, while West Indies white-ball legend Chris Gayle is a co-owner of Glasgow Cosmic.

South Africans Jonty Rhodes, Faf Du Plessis and Heinrich Klaasen are owners of Rotterdam Dockers.

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“Dublin already has a passionate cricketing community and enormous potential for growth,” said the 53-year-old Dravid, who has also been the head coach of India and Rajasthan Royals in the IPL.

“Nurturing the next generation has always been important to me, and I believe the ETPL can play a meaningful role in that journey.”

Organisers of the new league, co-founded by Bollywood star Abhishek Bachchan, are aiming to establish Europe, outside of traditional heartland England, on cricket’s global map and boost the game across the continent.

Launched in partnership with Cricket Ireland, Cricket Scotland and the Royal Dutch Cricket Association, the ETPL will be Europe’s first ICC-sanctioned multi-country franchise T20 league.

Du Plessis, Klaasen and Maxwell will also play in the league alongside stars such as Steve Smith, Mitchell Marsh, Mitchell Santner and Liam Livingstone.

The ETPL’s inaugural edition will feature 33 matches from August 26 to September 20.

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The European T20 Premier League (ETPL) has taken a major step forward with the announcement of its first set of franchise owners, headlined by Australian great Steve Waugh and current all-rounder Glenn Maxwell.

The six-team competition, scheduled to begin later this year, is set to make history as the first ICC-sanctioned T20 league to be staged across multiple countries.

The ETPL will operate across Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands, marking a significant push to expand the game’s footprint in Europe.

The league is a joint venture between Cricket Ireland and India-based Rules Global (Rules X), in strategic collaboration with Cricket Scotland and the Royal Dutch Cricket Association (KNCB).

Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan is a co-owner of the league, alongside three Indian investors, including Dhiraj Malhotra, the former CEO of IPL franchise Delhi Capitals.

Among the franchises already sold, Amsterdam, Belfast and Edinburgh have confirmed ownership groups, while teams in Dublin, Rotterdam and Glasgow are expected to be finalised in the coming weeks.

Steve Waugh is part of a consortium that will own the Amsterdam-based franchise, named Amsterdam Flames. The group also includes former Australian field hockey star Jamie Dwyer.

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Glenn Maxwell, meanwhile, will co-own the Irish Wolves franchise alongside Rohan Lund, the former Group Chief Executive Officer of Australian insurance giant NRMA.

Former New Zealand internationals Kyle Mills and Nathan McCullum have also invested in the league, with the duo purchasing the Edinburgh franchise.

Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Waugh expressed enthusiasm about the response from the cricketing community and the league’s broader vision.

“We’ve approached a number of players and haven’t had one negative comment at all,” Waugh said.

“They’re fascinated by the concept, particularly because it’s something new in Europe. The potential to grow the game in a new market and help develop European and continental players is really exciting.”

The inaugural season of the ETPL is scheduled to run from August 26 to September 20, with matches to be played in Ireland and the Netherlands. Final venue details are expected to be confirmed in due course.

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