The Aryavarth Express
Sydney (Australia): The European T20 Premier League (ETPL) on Wednesday announced its first three franchises—Amsterdam, Edinburgh and Belfast—marking a major milestone ahead of the league’s inaugural season, scheduled to begin in late summer this year. The ICC-sanctioned league revealed the teams and their owners at a press conference held in Sydney, with the iconic Opera House and Harbour Bridge as the backdrop.
The Amsterdam franchise will be owned by a consortium led by Australian cricket legend and World Cup-winning former captain Steve Waugh. The ownership group also includes Australian hockey great Jamie Dwyer, a five-time World Player of the Year and Olympic gold medallist, and Tim Thomas, former CEO of the Centre for Australia-India Relations and ex-partner at KPMG Australia.
The Edinburgh franchise will be jointly owned by former New Zealand internationals Nathan McCullum, a high-performance cricket coach, and Kyle Mills, former fast bowler and ex-ICC number one-ranked ODI bowler.
The Belfast franchise will be owned by Australian T20 star Glenn “The Big Show” Maxwell, along with Rohan Lund, former Group CEO of NRMA. Additional strategic partners for the Belfast team are expected to be announced later.
The announcement represents the first phase of the ETPL’s franchise rollout and signals a defining moment in the growth of professional cricket in Europe. The league is set to commence in the final week of August.
Speaking on the occasion, Steve Waugh said he was drawn to the league’s long-term vision. “Franchise cricket has expanded rapidly, but this opportunity stood out because it is driven by aspiration and long-term thinking. It is about upholding the spirit of cricket while supporting its growth in Europe, which remains the game’s last great frontier,” he said.
Glenn Maxwell expressed excitement about leading the Belfast franchise. “I am thrilled to be involved in building a culture of fun, family and fearless cricket. Cricket Ireland has made huge progress over the last two decades, and the European T20 Premier League will help accelerate that growth,” he said.
Kyle Mills said the league’s governance structure and strong board partnerships made the opportunity especially appealing. “ETPL has all the ingredients to become a serious force in global cricket,” he noted.
The ETPL is owned and operated through a joint venture between Rules Global (Rules X) and Cricket Ireland, a Full Member of the ICC. The league is co-founded by Abhishek Bachchan, Saurav Banerjee, Priyanka Kaul and Dhiraj Malhotra, with additional support from Cricket Scotland and the Royal Dutch Cricket Association (KNCB).
Abhishek Bachchan, co-founder of ETPL, said the league aims to set new benchmarks in governance and integrity. “Anchored in strong partnerships with national boards and the greats of the game, ETPL will bring together international stars and emerging European talent while upholding the highest standards of transparency and sporting excellence,” he said.
Co-founder Saurav Banerjee highlighted Europe’s untapped cricketing potential, noting that the continent hosts 34 ICC member nations. “ETPL is Europe’s first ICC-sanctioned T20 league and is designed to unlock sustainable commercial growth and elevate European cricket on the global stage,” he said.
With Europe gaining momentum in world cricket—highlighted by Italy’s qualification for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and England, Ireland and Scotland hosting the tournament—the region is poised to play a significant role in the sport’s future.
Officials from Cricket Ireland, Cricket Scotland and the Dutch Cricket Association welcomed the announcement, calling the launch of ETPL a landmark moment that will boost visibility, performance standards and inspiration for the next generation of cricketers across Europe.
Season 1 of the European T20 Premier League, slated for late August, will feature international stars alongside emerging European players, supported by a technology-driven league structure aimed at redefining how cricket is played and consumed across global markets.
