Cricket’s big stars are coming to Europe: Steve Waugh, Maxwell and Abhishek Bachchan back ETPL!

The 60-year-old cricketing legend described the opportunity as “fascinating,” adding that he is committed to helping “take the global game of cricket to continental Europe.”

“I’m not signing up to a Mickey Mouse T20 competition. This is the real deal,” Waugh told BBC Sport. “I wouldn’t be lending my name or expertise if it wasn’t. The players we’ve spoken to are very keen to play in this league.”

Following the model of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which blends cricket with the entertainment industry, Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan is also a co-owner of the ETPL through a partnership with Rules Sport Tech, a private Indian company.

The league has confirmed Amsterdam, Edinburgh, and Belfast as its first franchise cities, with the inaugural season scheduled to begin in late August 2026.

Amsterdam will be led by Steve Waugh, alongside Australian hockey great Jamie Dwyer, 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.

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

Belfast will be co-owned by Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, global T20 star, and Rohan Lund, former Group CEO of NRMA, with additional strategic partners to be announced.

Maxwell said: “I am thrilled to be involved with the Irish Wolves. We aim to build a culture of fun, family, and playing without fear. The Irish people love their sport, and Cricket Ireland has made huge strides over the last two decades. The Wolves and ETPL will accelerate that growth, and I feel proud to lead the franchise in its inaugural year.”

Kyle Mills added: “The opportunity to be part of 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.”

ETPL is a joint venture between Rules Global 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 formal partnerships with Cricket Scotland and the Royal Dutch Cricket Association (KNCB).

Bachchan said: “My journey across sport has taught me that meaningful franchises are built with intent, integrity, and vision. These three teams represent exactly that. Anchored in strong partnerships with national boards and the greats of the game, ETPL will bring together established international stars alongside emerging European talent, while upholding the highest standards of governance, transparency, and sporting integrity.”

Saurav Banerjee, co-founder of ETPL, added: “Europe is home to nearly one-third of the ICC’s global membership, with 34 member nations—the largest concentration anywhere in the world. Much of Europe’s cricket ecosystem remains under-commercialised, presenting a huge opportunity. ETPL, as Europe’s first ICC-sanctioned T20 league, is designed to unlock this potential through professional governance, franchise-based structures, and long-term discipline, catalysing sustainable commercial growth and elevating European cricket on the global stage.”