Rahul Dravid and Abhishek Bachchan (Source: Instagram.com/etplofficial)
On Tuesday, May 11, India cricket legend Rahul Dravid was announced as the co-owner of the final European T20 Premier League (ETPL) franchise based out of Dublin, Ireland.
The league launching in August 2026, is co-owned by Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan in partnership with Rules Sport Tech.
Dravid, who has played 164 Tests and 244 one-day internationals for India and coached the national team from 2021 to 2024, is set to enter a new innings of his life. The 53-year-old is part of an Indian consortium which has acquired the team, which will be called the Dublin Guardians.
Apart from the former Indian coach, another legend, Ravichandran Ashwin, is also set to be a part of the new T20 League. Ashwin, who retired from all formats of the game in December 2024 and stepped away from the Indian Premier League (IPL) last summer, will captain the Dublin-based franchise, the Guardians.
Moreover, the ETPL is run in collaboration with the cricket boards of Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands, with six teams based in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Belfast, Dublin, Glasgow, and Edinburgh.
That being said, this article explores who the owners of the 6 ETPL franchises are.
ETPL Owners List: Meet the kingmakers of the Newest T20 league
1) Amsterdam Flames: Steve Waugh, Jamie Dwyer, Tim Thomas
The Amsterdam-based franchise is owned by a consortium comprising Australia’s World Cup-winning captain, Steve Waugh, contemporary legend Jamie Dwyer, and the founder of Australia Essence, Tim Thomas.
Also read: Steve Waugh invests in European T20 Premier League; Steve Smith, Mitch Marsh signed
More than 20 years after he retired, Waugh is back, rolling up his sleeves and helping build a new team from the ground up in a new cricket league in a non-traditional playing market: Europe.
It is worth noting that the current Australian T20 captain, Mitchell Marsh, will lead the side. Apart from that, the team will feature modern-day legend Steve Smith, along with one of the most destructive batters in the world, Tim David.
2) Belfast Franchise: Glenn Maxwell, Rohan Lund
The owners of the Belfast franchise are the Floodlight Capital Consortium, along with Glenn Maxwell as the co-owner.
Notably, the Floodlight Capital group is an investment group prominently active in the sports management and franchise ownership sectors, particularly in the emerging ETPL. The group is led by Rohan Lund, the former chief executive of the NRMA Group.
3) Edinburgh Castle Rockers: Kyle Mills, Nathan McCullum, Rachel Wiseman
The Edinburgh-based team is owned by a New Zealand-based conglomerate and features former Black Caps cricketers, Kyle Mills and Nathan McCullum.
Moreover, the team will be led by Kiwi veteran Mitchell Santner, with another New Zealand legend, Trent Bould, also featuring alongside Liam Livingstone.
4) Dublin Guardians: Indian Consortium led by Rahul Dravid
On May 11, 2026, former India captain and coach Rahul Dravid was unveiled as the owner of the Dublin Guardians in the European T20 Premier League (ETPL).
Also read: Ravichandran Ashwin Named Captain Of New Team
He is part of an Indian consortium that acquired the team, with the franchise aiming to nurture grassroots talent ahead of the tournament's launch in August 2026.
5) Rotterdam Dockers: Jonty Rhodes, Faf du Plessis, Glashin, Samir Shah
South African cricketers Faf du Plessis, Heinrich Klaasen and Jonty Rhodes have joined as co-owners of the Rotterdam franchise in the European T20 Premier League. Du Plessis will also serve as the team's captain for the inaugural 2026 season.
Jonty Rhodes, who has seen the growth of European cricket first-hand, having served as the Sweden national coach in late 2020 and having also witnessed "the hunger for the game" in Germany, Italy, and France, said he wanted to help build an ecosystem with a dash of South African flavour.
6) Glasgow Mugafians: Chris Gayle, Vipul Aggarwal
The ETPL franchise, ‘Glasgow Mugafians’ is a Glasgow-based franchise representing Scotland.
Backed by the Mugafi Group as founding partner, the franchise is owned by Tansha Batra, with West Indies legend Chris Gayle joining as Co-Owner and Global Brand Ambassador.
Mugafi Group, the media, entertainment, and IP platform founded by Vipul Aggarwal, will provide the commercial, content, and digital infrastructure to support the franchise's global ambitions.
Also read: Only 1 Indian Remains As ICC Announces Fresh Details On Elite Panel Umpires
