Steve Waugh and Glenn Maxwell secure franchise ownership in the European T20 league

The European T20 Premier League (ETPL) officially unveiled its first three franchises on Wednesday. The inaugural teams will represent Amsterdam, Edinburgh, and Belfast, with the tournament set to begin in late summer this year.

The Amsterdam franchise will be run by an ownership group led by Steve Waugh, along with Jamie Dwyer and Tim Thomas. The Edinburgh franchise will be owned by former New Zealand players Nathan McCullum and Kyle Mills, both of whom bring strong international cricket experience.

Australia’s T20 specialist Glenn Maxwell has taken ownership of the Belfast side, teaming up with former NRMA chief Rohan Lund. Additional backers will be named in the coming period.

A game-changing milestone has been reached in European professional cricket, as the ETPL embarks on its inaugural franchise rollout, with the season’s first ball set to be bowled in the last week of August.

Steve Waugh, co-owner of the Amsterdam franchise, commented, “I’ve always been particular about where I invest my time and energy in cricket. While franchise cricket has grown rapidly, this opportunity stood out due to its goals and long-term vision. In many respects, it represents a return to the game for me, albeit in a completely different capacity. It’s about preserving the standards and essence of cricket while fostering its expansion into Europe, which is still the sport’s final frontier,”Steve Waugh said.

Glenn Maxwell, co-owner of the Belfast franchise, stated, “I’m excited to be part of the Irish Wolves, where we aim to create a culture of fun, family, and fearless play. The Irish have a deep passion for sports, and Cricket Ireland has made significant progress in growing the game over the past twenty years. The Wolves and the European T20 Premier League will further drive that growth, and I’m incredibly proud to be leading the franchise in its first year,” he said.