ABOUT ETPL

The European T20 Premier League (ETPL) is a new franchise-based tournament sanctioned by the International Cricket Council, created to establish Europe as a dynamic force in the global T20 landscape. Renowned Indian actor, film producer and sports entrepreneur, Abhishek Bachchan is a co-owner, along with Rules Sport Tech – an Indian private sports company. The league was co-founded by Abhishek Bachchan, Saurav Banerjee, Priyanka Kaul, and Dhiraj Malhotra. Abhishek Bachchan is an actor and entrepreneur with a variety of business interests, including sports franchises, tech startups, and endorsements. He is the co-owner of the Indian Super League football club, Chennaiyin FC, and has actively promoted sports in India, also owning teams in the Pro Kabaddi League and Indian Street Premier League. His deep understanding of the sports industry and commitment to fostering competitive excellence will be pivotal in expanding cricket's footprint in Europe and shaping the ETPL into a world-class tournament.

Saurav is a seasoned venture capitalist and Partner at the US-based firm One Alpha North Capital. Previously, he held key C-suite roles as Co-CEO and CFO at NDTV (India’s leading media group) and has served on the boards of several leading media and technology companies. A Chartered Accountant who began his career with PwC in Global Capital Markets, Saurav brings over two decades of leadership at the intersection of media, technology, and entertainment, with a unique blend of strategic vision and operational expertise. Priyanka Kaul is a media entrepreneur and business leader with over 25 years of experience across media, marketing, events and sport. Over the course of her career, she has held several senior leadership positions, including that of CEO of Forbes India, President – Marketing and Special Projects at Network18, and Chief Revenue & Marketing Officer, NDTV and President, Special Projects at NDTV. She is passionate about using sport as a platform to strengthen global connections and elevate India’s presence on the world stage. Dhiraj Malhotra has over 24 years of experience in sports administration. He has worked with the ICC, WMG, and IMG. He joined IPL as Tournament Director in 2008 and helped set it up. He was also the Tournament Director for the ICC World Cup in Oct'23 and the ICC representative in India. He was the CEO of Delhi Capitals until July 2023 and formerly General Manager, BCCI. Since 2005, Dhiraj has been a key part of the ICC core team, leading major men’s and women’s ICC tournaments.

Built on a first-of-its-kind partnership between the cricket boards of Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands, the league brings together proud cricketing histories with a shared ambition to grow the game across the continent and beyond. In January 2026 the ETPL unveiled its first three franchises at an international press conference in Sydney, held against the backdrop of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. The Amsterdam, Edinburgh and Belfast franchises were announced alongside high-profile ownership groups featuring names such as Steve Waugh, Glenn Maxwell and Kyle Mills. Building on that momentum, in the forthcoming months, the league announced two other franchise lineups, the Rotterdam Dockers and Glasgow Cosmic, attracting further global cricketing figures the trio from South Africa Faf du Plessis, Jonty Rhodes and Heinrich Klaasen among its ownership groups while Australian legend Matthew Hayden joined as Co-Owner and Head coach for the Glasgow franchise respectively. Subsequently, the ETPL completed its six-team structure in May 2026 with the announcement of Rahul Dravid, one of cricket's most respected figures as the owner of the Dublin Guardians. The star power continued at the ETPL with Bollywood superstar John Abraham joined the South African trio as a Co-Owner for Rotterdam Dockers in June 2026. The inaugural season of the ETPL is scheduled to begin in August 2026, with matches hosted across key venues in the Netherlands and Ireland. Bringing together established international stars and emerging European talent, the league is designed to deliver a high-quality, globally relevant competition while strengthening the cricketing ecosystem within the region. More than just a tournament, the ETPL represents a long-term commitment to developing the game at all levels in Europe, from grassroots participation to professional pathways, positioning the continent as one of cricket’s most exciting new frontiers.