The European T20 Premier League has confirmed the fixture list for its inaugural season, with the tournament set to run from 26 August to 20 September across venues in the Netherlands and Ireland.
The opening match will be played at Voorburg Cricket Club in The Hague, where Jonty Rhodes’ Rotterdam Dockers will face Steve Waugh’s Amsterdam Flames. The following day, Rahul Dravid’s Dublin Guardians will meet Glenn Maxwell’s Belfast Wolves.
The league will feature six franchises competing across 32 matches over 26 days. The tournament will begin in the Netherlands before moving to Malahide Cricket Club in Dublin, which will host the remainder of the league stage as well as the Qualifier and the inaugural final.
The ETPL has attracted a mix of international and European players. Among the global names announced for the competition are Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Ravichandran Ashwin, Faf du Plessis, Tim David, Heinrich Klaasen, Mitchell Marsh, Trent Boult and Lungi Ngidi. They will be joined by European players including Paul Stirling, Scott Edwards, Josh Little, George Dockrell, Aryan Dutt, Max O’Dowd, Richie Berrington and Matthew Cross.
The tournament has also drawn high-profile figures into franchise ownership groups. Rotterdam Dockers includes Jonty Rhodes and actor John Abraham among its backers, while Amsterdam Flames has Steve Waugh and Jamie Dwyer involved in ownership.
Rhodes said opening the competition carried special meaning for the Rotterdam franchise.
“It is a privilege to open the inaugural ETPL season. We can’t wait to bring Rotterdam’s passion and spirit onto the field and share this historic moment with our home fans,” he said.
Waugh said the opening fixture would provide an opportunity to establish the team’s identity.
“The opening match is a fantastic opportunity to introduce Amsterdam Flames and the brand of cricket we want to play. We’re proud to be part of this exciting new chapter for European cricket and look forward to getting underway,” he said.
Rahul Dravid said representing Dublin in the new competition was an exciting prospect for the city and its supporters.
“We look forward to an exciting inaugural season and to building something the city and its fans can be proud of,” he said.
The tournament will use a double round-robin format, with each team playing every other side twice. The team that finishes first on the league table will advance directly to the final, while the second and third-placed teams will meet in the Qualifier to decide the remaining finalist.
Matthew Hayden, who is involved with Glasgow Cosmic, said the league represented an important opportunity for cricket in Scotland and across Europe.
The ETPL has been developed in partnership with Cricket Ireland, Cricket Scotland and the Royal Dutch Cricket Association. Its organisers say the competition is intended to strengthen cricket’s profile across Europe by combining international players with emerging talent from the region.
Dhiraj Malhotra, co-founder of the league, said the fixture release was another milestone ahead of the competition’s launch.
“In just a few weeks, Europe will witness the launch of its own franchise T20 league. We can’t wait for the first ball to be bowled and for ETPL to begin creating its own history,” he said.
Tickets for the inaugural season are expected to go on sale later this week, with organisers aiming to attract both local supporters and travelling cricket fans for the month-long tournament.
Support independent community journalism. Support The Indian Sun.
Follow The Indian Sun on X | Instagram | Facebook
Support Independent Community Journalism
Dear Reader,The Indian Sun exists for one reason: to tell stories that might otherwise go unheard.
We report on local councils, state politics, small businesses and cultural festivals. We focus on the Indian diaspora and the wider multicultural community with care, balance and accountability. We publish in print and online, send regular newsletters and produce video content. We also run media training programs to help community organisations share their own stories.
We operate independently.
Community journalism does not have the backing of large media corporations. Advertising revenue fluctuates. Platform algorithms change. Costs continue to rise. Yet the need for credible, grounded reporting in a multicultural Australia has never been greater.
When you support The Indian Sun, you support:
• Independent reporting on issues affecting migrant communities
• Coverage of local and state decisions that shape daily life
• A platform for small businesses and community groups
• Media training that builds skills within the community
• Journalism accountable to readers
We cannot cover everything, but we work to cover what matters.
If you value thoughtful reporting that reflects Australia’s diversity, we invite you to contribute. Every donation helps us maintain the quality and consistency of our work.
Please consider making a contribution today.
Thank you for your support.
The Indian Sun Team
