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Ex-Blackcaps lead Kiwi charge into Europe’s new T20 frontier
Sport Nation • January 22nd, 2026 10:02 am
Kyle Mills | Photo: Photosport
Franchise T20 cricket's rapid global expansion took another significant step this week, and there are a pair of Kiwis leading the way.
On Wednesday, the new European T20 league announced its first franchise cities as Amsterdam (Flames), Belfast (Irish Wolves) and Edinburgh (Castle Rockers), the latter of which is owned by former Blackcaps cricketer Nathan McCullum and Sport Nation host Kyle Mills (also a former Blackcaps cricketer).
ETPL is Europe’s first ICC-sanctioned T20 league, launching in late summer 2026, and is backed by Cricket Ireland in partnership with Cricket Scotland and the Royal Dutch Cricket Association.
Two Australian greats are also heavily involved, with Steve Waugh heading the Amsterdam franchise and Glenn Maxwell taking charge in Belfast.
Three more teams - Glasgow, Rotterdam, and Dublin - will be announced, with the competition expected to begin August 26.
The opportunity to get involved with some burgeoning cricket nations to navigate to uncharted T20 franchise waters was one Mills says he couldn't pass up.
Millsy's European T20 Premier League venture! | Millsy & Guy
"Europe is the second biggest market in the world and cricket's the second-biggest sport," notes Mills, who played 170 ODIs and 42 T20s for New Zealand.
"Italy's playing in the World Cup just a matter of weeks away, so it's a growing sport in that region.
"Ireland, Scotland, Netherlands have produced great cricket performances in World Cup's gone by but they've never really had a platform to play consistent cricket at a competitive level. This gives those players a platform.
"Just to grow the game in the last frontier really, that's what excites us."
Mills and McCullum have also forged a partnership with Otago Cricket - a natural fit given Dunedin and Edinburgh's standing as sister cities.
Blackcaps Mitchell Santner is the lone signing for the Castle Rockers to date, with Mills keen to give his squad a "real New Zealand feel".
Elsewhere, the Flames have recruited Dutch captain Scott Edwards as well as Australians Steve Smith, Tim David, and Mitchell Marsh, who'll captain the side.
"There are a number of leagues going on, but this one has the people involved in it, people with great integrity of the game.
"Everyone talks about growing the game and giving back to the game, well this is actually a real big opportunity to grow in Europe."
