Actor Abhishek Bachchan – backed European T20 Premier League (ETPL) has announced former Indian cricket captain Rahul Dravid as the owner of the Dublin Guardians franchise ahead of the league’s official launch in 2026.

Abhishek Bachchan - backed ETPL ropes in Rahul Dravid as Dublin franchise owner ahead of 2026 launch

Abhishek Bachchan – backed ETPL ropes in Rahul Dravid as Dublin franchise owner ahead of 2026 launch

The announcement was made at a launch event held in Dublin, where ETPL completed its six-team franchise structure. The event saw the presence of franchise owners, league officials and senior representatives from European cricket boards. Abhishek Bachchan attended the event alongside ETPL co-founders Saurav Banerjee, Priyanka Kaul and Dhiraj Malhotra.

Launched in partnership with Cricket Ireland, Cricket Scotland and the Royal Dutch Cricket Association, the European T20 Premier League aims to introduce a cross-border franchise format featuring teams from Dublin, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Rotterdam and Amsterdam. The league has also stated its long-term vision of expanding cricket’s reach across Europe.

The tournament is expected to feature several international cricket stars including Glenn Maxwell, Faf du Plessis, Mitchell Marsh, Tim David and Heinrich Klaasen among others.

Speaking at the launch, Abhishek Bachchan said, “For ETPL, having legends like Rahul associated with this journey is incredibly special because our vision goes beyond building a league, it is about creating a platform that can inspire and nurture the next generation of talent emerging from Irish and broader European Cricket ecosystem. The response from the global cricketing community has been extremely encouraging. The coming together of icons like Steve Waugh, Glenn Maxwell, Jonty Rhodes, Chris Gayle, Faf du Plessis, Heinrich Klaasen, alongside Rahul Dravid reflects the belief in ETPL’s vision and reinforces Europe’s immense potential as cricket’s next major growth frontier.”

Rahul Dravid also shared his thoughts on joining the project. “What attracted me to ETPL was the larger vision behind it, the opportunity to help grow cricket in Europe by strengthening grassroots development and creating pathways for emerging talent across Ireland and Europe. Dublin already has a passionate cricketing community and enormous potential for growth. Nurturing the next generation has always been important to me, and I believe ETPL can play a meaningful role in that journey.”

The six franchises feature a mix of cricket legends and investors. While Rahul Dravid owns the Dublin franchise, the Belfast team is backed by Glenn Maxwell and Rohan Lund. The Amsterdam franchise includes Steve Waugh among its owners, while the Rotterdam team has names like Jonty Rhodes and Faf du Plessis associated with it.

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