Former Australia captain Steve Waugh is among the investors in the new European T20 Premier League (ETPL), which will feature city-based teams in Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands later this year.
Waugh is leading the Amsterdam Flames franchise, backed by a consortium including former Australian hockey player Jamie Dwyer and businessman Tim Thomas. The Flames have already signed Australian stars Steve Smith and Mitch Marsh.
Waugh said he was “fascinated” by the chance to bring cricket to continental Europe and described the ETPL as “the real deal,” attracting top players and serious investment.
Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan is also part-owner of the league, which has a total franchise value of £11.1m over ten years and a salary budget of around £1.1m per season. The inaugural tournament is scheduled to start on 26 August, with support from the ICC and the cricket boards of the host countries.
