Rahul Dravid announced as owner of ETPL's Dublin Guardians
The European T20 Premier League (ETPL) has announced Indian cricket legend Rahul Dravid as owner of its Dublin Guardians, completing the league's six-team structure ahead of the 2026 launch.
Launched in partnership with Cricket Ireland, Cricket Scotland and the Royal Dutch Cricket Association, ETPL introduces a first-of-its-kind cross-border franchise model featuring teams from Dublin, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Rotterdam and Amsterdam. Designed to position Europe as cricket’s next major growth frontier, the league also has long-term ambitions to expand across new markets as the sport’s popularity and participation continue to rise throughout the continent.
The announcement was made at a landmark event in Dublin, attended by franchise owners from across the league alongside ETPL co-founders. Senior leaders from Cricket Ireland, Cricket Scotland and Cricket Netherlands were also present, underlining strong institutional support behind Europe's first ICC-sanctioned multi-country franchise T20 league.
Rahul Dravid, Co-Owner, Dublin Franchise:
“What attracted me to ETPL was the larger vision behind it, the opportunity to help grow cricket in Europe by strengthening grassroots development and creating pathways for emerging talent across Ireland and Europe. Dublin already has a passionate cricketing community and enormous potential for growth. Nurturing the next generation has always been important to me, and I believe ETPL can play a meaningful role in that journey.”
Abhishek Bachchan, Co-Founder, ETPL:
“For ETPL, having legends like Rahul associated with this journey is incredibly special because our vision goes beyond building a league. It is about creating a platform that can inspire and nurture the next generation of talent emerging from Irish and broader European cricket. The coming together of icons like Steve Waugh, Glenn Maxwell, Jonty Rhodes, Chris Gayle, Faf du Plessis, Heinrich Klaasen, alongside Rahul Dravid reflects the belief in ETPL's vision and reinforces Europe's immense potential as cricket's next major growth frontier.”
Brian MacNeice, Chair, Cricket Ireland:
“This is a landmark moment for cricket in Ireland and for the wider European cricket ecosystem. ETPL has the potential to significantly elevate the visibility of cricket, participation growth and quality of playing opportunities for our players across the region while strengthening pathways for future generations.”
Trudy Lindblade, CEO, Cricket Scotland,
“ETPL has the potential to be a significant moment for cricket in Scotland and across Europe. Opportunities like this can help strengthen the sport's ecosystem, create greater visibility for players, and inspire the next generation of cricketers across the region.”
The league is set to feature international stars including Mitchell Marsh, Tim David, Mitchell Santner, Liam Livingstone, Glenn Maxwell, Faf du Plessis and Heinrich Klaasen, giving emerging European and Associate Nation players the chance to share a dressing room with some of the biggest names in world cricket.
