Faf du Plessis wants 'strong cricketing culture' as new co-owner of T20 franchise

The three South Africans have formed a consortium to acquire the Rotterdam franchise in the six-team league, that will be played from August 26 to September 20 in Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands.

Du Plessis will captain captain the side while Klaasen will also take the field in what will be Europe's first ICC-sanctioned T20 league.

"It's special to join Jonty and Klassy in acquiring a franchise in the ETPL," Du Plessis said. "This is my first step into team ownership, and the timing couldn't be better with European cricket gaining real momentum.

"Having experienced franchise leagues across the world, I see immense potential in what the ETPL is building.

"I'm looking forward to contributing both on and off the field and helping shape a strong cricketing culture within our team."

Rhodes said: "The ETPL presents a compelling opportunity. We've already seen glimpses of Europe's cricketing potential on the global stage, especially at recent ICC events.

"What the region now needs is a strong commercial framework to unify and elevate this ecosystem. The ETPL offers exactly that, creating pathways to identify, nurture, and scale talent, and ultimately strengthening the game across Europe. I'm excited to be part of this journey."

The Rotterdam announcement adds to an already star-studded ownership landscape across the league. The Amsterdam franchise is backed by former Australia captain Steve Waugh and hockey legend Jamie Dwyer.

Belfast is co-owned by Australia international Glenn Maxwell, while Edinburgh is backed by ex-New Zealand cricketers Kyle Mills and Nathan McCullum while Glasgow is co-owned by West Indies legend Chris Gayle.