![Chris Gayle becomes owner of a T20 franchise [Source: AFP]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1776670820939_ChrisGayle.jpg?type=hq)
Chris Gayle becomes owner of a T20 franchise [Source: AFP]
The European T20 Premier League (ETPL) seems to be moving ahead steadily, with developments around team ownership and structure beginning to take shape. On April 20, the league officially unveiled the ‘Glasgow Mugafians’, a franchise based in Glasgow set to represent Scotland.
While the ‘Glasgow Mugafians’ is one of the six franchises taking part in the tournament, it will be co-owned by none other than former West Indies captain and T20 behemoth Chris Gayle himself, along with Indian businesswoman Tansha Batra.
Chris Gayle becomes co-owner in Abhishek Bachchan’s T20 league
Former West Indies captain Chris Gayle is one of the co-owners of the Glasgow Mugafians. The legendary T20 batter is also the global brand ambassador of the franchise.
Gayle, who has played 463 T20 matches spanning numerous leagues across the world, expressed his excitement as he steps into a “new chapter” in his career.
Speaking at the unveiling of the franchise, the legendary opener said, “Stepping into the role of co-owner of Glasgow Mugafians marks an exciting new chapter for me. The ETPL is already creating waves globally, and having played in franchise leagues around the world, I’m confident this will be something special.”
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Fellow Glasgow Mugafians owner Tansha Batra also emphasized the significance of the franchise, describing it a place where “Scotland’s cricket story stops being a secret and starts being told to the world.”
What is ETPL?
The European T20 Premier League, or the ETPL, is Europe’s inaugural ICC-approved T20 franchise competition. It is worth noting that the league is co-owned by Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan.
Apart from Chris Gayle, the league has also drawn several other reputable names from global cricket, in the form of Steve Waugh, Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Santner among others.
The ETPL is developed in partnerships between Cricket Ireland, Cricket Scotland and Royal Dutch Cricket Association. As many as six franchises will be taking in its inaugural edition later this year, with teams based out of Glasgow, Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Dublin, Belfast and Rotterdam.
As per the schedule, 33 matches will be played in the ETPL 2026 season between August 26 and September 20.
Who are the other owners in ETPL?
The Amsterdam team, representing Netherlands, is owned by former Australian captain Steve Waugh and hockey star Jamie Dwyer. Australia’s white-ball veteran and 2021 T20 World Cup winner Mitchell Marsh will serve the franchise as its captain.
The Belfast-based team will be co-owned by Glenn Maxwell, and the Edinburgh team from Scotland will be owned by former New Zealand international cricketers Kyle Mills and Nathan McCullum, with active national skipper Mitchell Santner serving as its captain.
The Glasgow Mugafians has now become the latest franchise to join the league’s prestigious roaster, with T20 veteran Chris Gayle and Indian businesswoman Tansha Batra of the Mugafi Group helming the team.
With star power and fresh markets converging, the ETPL could well emerge as the next compelling frontier in the ever-expanding world of franchise cricket.
