Sydney, Jan 21 (IANS) European T20 Premier League (ETPL), officially sanctioned by the International Cricket Council (ICC), on Wednesday announced Amsterdam, Edinburgh and Belfast as the first franchise cities to join the competition, which is scheduled to begin at the end of August this year.

The League also confirmed the owners of its first three franchises at an international press conference in Sydney; Amsterdam will be owned by a group led by Australian cricket great Steve Waugh, alongside five-time World Player of the Year and Olympic gold medallist Jamie Dwyer, and by former CEO of the Centre for Australia-India Relations and former Partner at KPMG Australia, Tim Thomas.

“I’ve always been selective about where I invest my time and energy in cricket. Franchise cricket has expanded quickly, but this opportunity stood out because it is driven by aspiration and long-term thinking. In many ways, it marks a return to the game for me — but in a very different role. This is about helping uphold the standards and spirit of cricket while supporting its growth into Europe, which remains the game’s last great frontier,” Waugh said.

Edinburgh will be owned by former New Zealand internationals Nathan McCullum and Kyle Mills, a former New Zealand fast bowler and former ICC No.1 ODI bowler.

Meanwhile, Belfast will be owned by Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, with Rohan Lund, a former Group CEO of NRMA.

The announcement marks a defining moment in the evolution of professional cricket in Europe and represents the first phase of ETPL’s franchise rollout ahead of its inaugural season, scheduled to commence in the last week of August.

“I am thrilled to be involved with the Irish Wolves, where we will build a culture of fun, family and playing without fear. The Irish people love their sport and Cricket Ireland have made huge strides in expanding the game over the last two decades. The Wolves and the European T20 Premier League will accelerate that growth and I feel super proud to be leading the franchise in its inaugural year,” said Maxwell.

“The opportunity to be part of franchise ownership in a league built with strong governance and deep board partnerships is hugely compelling. ETPL has all the ingredients to become a serious force in global cricket,” added Mills.

ETPL is owned and operated through a joint venture between Rules Global (“Rules X”) and Cricket Ireland, a Full Member of the International Cricket Council. The league is co-founded by Abhishek Bachchan, Saurav Banerjee, Priyanka Kaul and Dhiraj Malhotra, and is further supported by formal partnerships with Cricket Scotland and the Royal Dutch Cricket Association (KNCB).

Abhishek Bachchan, co-founder of ETPL, is an acclaimed Indian actor and a sports entrepreneur. “My journey across sport has taught me that meaningful franchises are built with intent, integrity and vision; and these three teams represent exactly that. ETPL will bring together established international stars alongside emerging talent from Europe and other associate nations, while upholding the highest standards of governance, transparency and sporting integrity, setting a new benchmark for emerging franchise leagues.”

Saurav Banerjee, co-founder of the ETPL, said, “Europe is home to nearly one-third of the ICC’s global membership, with 34 member nations across the continent, the largest concentration anywhere in the world. Through professional governance, a franchise-based structure and long-term discipline, ETPL aims to catalyse sustainable commercial growth and elevate European cricket on the global stage.”

As European cricket continues to gather momentum, marked by Italy qualifying for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, and England, Ireland and Scotland hosting the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Europe is positioned to play a defining role in shaping the next decade of the sport.

Brian MacNeice, Chair, ETPL and non-executive Director on the Board of Cricket Ireland, said, “The launch of the European T20 Premier League is not only a landmark occasion for European cricket, but is a crucial step forward in the development and growth of Irish cricket. Since gaining Full Membership, we have made steady and sustainable steps forward as a sport – but over the next few years we are set for an enormous leap.

Trudy Lindblade, CEO of Cricket Scotland, added, “We are delighted to welcome the first three ETPL franchise owners. This league represents a significant step forward for European cricket, and we appreciate the role played by our all stakeholders in creating a truly exciting and groundbreaking opportunity for all involved, in particular Scottish players and supporters of cricket in this country,

Lucas Hendriske, interim CEO of KNCB, said, “The launch of the European T20 Premier League will be a landmark moment for cricket in Europe. The League will accelerate the growth of cricket across the region by providing visibility, high-performance standards, and inspiration for the next generation. We are delighted to see Europe take this step forward and proud that the Netherlands will play a central role in shaping its future.”

–IANS

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