European T20 Premier League (ETPL) achieved a major milestone ahead of its maiden season by successfully wrapping up its inaugural Player Draft. Across the draft, the league’s six franchises strategically assembled their rosters by picking a total of 36 marquee players. To ensure equal representation across the competing European nations, the selections were split evenly, with 12 players chosen from each of the respective boards: Cricket Ireland, Cricket Scotland, and the Royal Dutch Cricket Association (KNCB).
Jai Moondra makes cut in ETPL draft
While the player pool was distributed across all six teams, clear regional preferences emerged during the picking process. The majority of the Netherlands’ homegrown talent was snapped up by the Amsterdam Flames and the Rotterdam Dockers. Similarly, Scottish representation leaned heavily toward the Edinburgh Castle Rockers and Glasgow Cosmic, who collectively drafted nine of the 12 available Scottish players. Looking across the Irish Sea, the Dublin Guardians and Belfast Wolves prioritized local familiarity by securing seven of the 12 available Irish internationals.
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Among the most talked-about moves of the draft, the Rotterdam Dockers generated immense buzz by using their coveted opening pick to secure the services of Ireland's star pacer Jai Moondra. The Irish sensation's stock has skyrocketed following an exceptional T20I series against heavyweights India, where his fearless wicket-taking ability against the world champions solidified his status as one of Europe's premier rising stars. The Dockers surrounded Moondra with high-caliber regional experience, adding Dutch internationals Michael Levitt, Ryan Klein, Vikramjit Singh, and Saqib Zulfiqar to their roster alongside Scotland’s versatile Jasper Davidson.
Not to be outdone, the Belfast Wolves focused on creating a balanced and formidable roster by injecting elite international experience into their ranks. The franchise successfully secured the signature of veteran Ireland powerhouse Paul Stirling, whose destructive top-order batting brings invaluable leadership to the group. To complement Stirling's experience, the Wolves also drafted emerging left-arm spinner Matthew Humphreys, adding a lethal slow-bowling option to their bowling attack ahead of the tournament's highly anticipated launch.
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Final draft of all the ETPL franchises
Glasgow Cosmic: Brad Currie, Chris McBride, Matthew Cross, Michael Leask, Oliver Davidson, and Paul van Meekeren
Irish Wolves: Alexander Roy, Fred Klaassen, Matthew Humphreys, Paul Stirling, Tim Tector, and Zainullah Ihsan
Dublin Guardians: Benjamin Calitz, Chris Greaves, Craig Young, George Dockrell, Matthew Hollard, and Noah Croes
Rotterdam Dockers: Jai Moondra, Jasper Davidson, Michael Levitt, Ryan Klein, Saqib Zulfiqar, and Vikramjit Singh
Amsterdam Flames: Aryan Dutt, Curtis Campher, Jordan Neill, Kyle Klein, Max O’Dowd, and Tim Pringle
Edinburgh Castle Rockers: Charlie Tear, Finlay McCreath, Gareth Delany, Jack Jarvis, Ross Adair, and Safyaan Sharif
This historic selection process stands as a monumental landmark for the European T20 Premier League, establishing a firm foundation for continental cricket. Elevating the tournament's profile, the competing franchises are backed by an illustrious lineup of cricketing legends and active superstars. With icons like Rahul Dravid, Steve Waugh, Matthew Hayden, Faf du Plessis, Heinrich Klaasen, Glenn Maxwell, and Jonty Rhodes lending their expertise and star power, this inaugural draft officially signals a bold and highly anticipated era for the sport in Europe.