Cape Town: South African stars Faf du Plessis, Jonty Rhodes and Heinrich Klaasen have formed a consortium to acquire the Rotterdam franchise in the upcoming European T20 Premier League (ETPL), organisers announced on Thursday.
Du Plessis, a former Proteas captain, will also lead the team in the inaugural season of the six-team competition, scheduled to run from August 26 to September 20 across multiple European cities.
“This is my first step into team ownership, and the timing couldn’t be better with European cricket gaining real momentum,” du Plessis said. “I see immense potential in what the ETPL is building.”
Huib van Walsem, chief executive of the Royal Dutch Cricket Association (KNCB), welcomed the move, calling it a major boost for cricket in the Netherlands.
The league has attracted several high-profile investors, including Steve Waugh, Glenn Maxwell, Kyle Mills, Nathan McCullum and Chris Gayle.
Franchises will be based in cities including Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dublin and Belfast.
ETPL co-owner Abhishek Bachchan said the involvement of global cricket figures reflects the league’s growing appeal and ambition.
Inspired by the success of the Indian Premier League, the ETPL aims to tap into the rising popularity of franchise cricket, which continues to reshape the global game and attract top talent.
