The first edition of the European T20 Premier League sides is set to begin in August and six-teams are set to compete in this tournament. ETPL was launched in partnership with Cricket Ireland, Cricket Scotland and the Royal Dutch Cricket Association, featuring teams from Dublin, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Rotterdam and Amsterdam. It is also Europe's first ICC-sanctioned multi-country franchise T20 league. One of the most exciting sides will be the Dublin Guardians which will be led by Indian superstar Ravichandran Ashwin. The franchise is owned by former Indian captain Rahul Dravid. 

Ravichandran Ashwin will double up as Dublin Guardians captain and mentor. Ashwin, now 39, had announced his IPL retirement at the end of the 2025 season and is eligible to play in franchise leagues outside India. Ashwin expressed his excitement regarding this league and working with Rahul Dravid.

 "Rahul Bhai and I have developed a great bond over the last five years. I learnt a lot about leadership while playing under him, and I think he also got to know me well. We've shared a very special rapport," Ashwin said.

European T20 Premier League 2026: Draft Update

The ETPL used a draft system, pairing fixed round-by-round salaries with clear limits on how many overseas and local players a franchise can field. Each of the teams had the chance to pick their core players. Six teams across three countries make up the competition, each franchise built around a headline captain or mentor drawn from world cricket.

Amsterdam Flames pair Australian leadership in Mitchell Marsh and Steve Smith with big-hitting power in Tim David and a Dutch spine, giving co-owner Steve Waugh one of the most balanced batting units in the competition.

Rotterdam Dockers, co-owned by Jonty Rhodes, lean on raw pace and all-round depth, with Anrich Nortje, Logan van Beek and Sandeep Lamichhane offering variety and David Wiese and Roelof van der Merwe adding experience through the middle

Dublin will be led by Ravichandran Ashwin as captain and mentor, the Guardians blend spin-bowling nous with a locally rooted Irish core built around wicketkeeper Lorcan Tucker and all-rounder George Dockrell.

Edinburgh will be captained by New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner, the Castle Rockers boast arguably the sharpest new-ball pairing in the league in Trent Boult and Tom Curran, backed by a deep Scottish and overseas all-round mix.

Belfast Wolves will be captained by Glenn Maxwell, the Wolves built around Ireland’s most prolific white-ball opener, Paul Stirling, and a draft class weighted towards left-arm options and all-round balance.

Glasgow Cosmics assembled the deepest squad in the tournament, mixing Scotland internationals George Munsey and Richie Berrington with a heavyweight overseas cast including Liam Livingstone, Finn Allen and Keshav Maharaj.