Europe's New T20 League Debuts With Dravid, Ashwin and Bollywood Backing
A new European T20 cricket league has launched with backing from major names in sports and entertainment. The European T20 Premier League (ETPL) will feature six city-based teams, including one in Dublin co-owned by former India captain Rahul Dravid. Organisers say the competition aims to grow cricket’s reach across the continent. The ETPL will debut this summer with matches held in Dublin and The Hague between August 26 and September 20. Six franchises—based in Dublin, Belfast, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Glasgow, and Edinburgh—will compete in the inaugural season.
The Dublin Guardians have already secured high-profile figures. Rahul Dravid, now part of an Indian investment group, will serve as co-owner. Meanwhile, veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, recently retired from Test cricket and the IPL, has been named captain of the side. Support for the league comes from the cricket boards of Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands. Cricket Ireland chair Brian MacNeice called the ETPL’s arrival a landmark for European cricket. Beyond sports, the competition has drawn interest from Bollywood, with actor Abhishek Bachchan among the investors.
The ETPL kicks off in late August with games split between Ireland and the Netherlands. Its organisers hope the tournament will boost cricket’s profile in Europe. The involvement of international stars and entertainment figures suggests broad ambitions for the league’s future.
