Malahide [Ireland], September 20 (ANI): The inaugural ICC-sanctioned European T20 Premier League (ETPL) 2026 has reached its final chapter as Edinburgh Castle Rockers take on Belfast Wolves in the summit clash on Sunday at The Village in Malahide.
The Edinburgh Castle Rockers earned a direct passage to the title clash after finishing at the top of the table in the league stage, while Belfast Wolves secured their place in the final with a seven-wicket victory over Amsterdam Flames in the qualifier. The two sides now meet for the first-ever ETPL title, as Europe prepares to crown its first champions.
Both teams have already faced each other twice during the tournament, with each side winning once, and the final now presents the opportunity for either side to settle the contest.
For Edinburgh Castle Rockers, captain Mitchell Santner has been central to the team’s campaign as they topped the league stage and earned the advantage of going straight into the final. Reflecting on the team’s journey in the inaugural season, Santner highlighted how the new group has come together throughout the tournament.
“It has been a great start to the first year of the tournament. As a new team with a new group of players and management, we have really gelled well both on and off the field. We were very good in Holland and also performed well in Ireland, and while we lost a couple of games here, we were able to finish top of the table and go straight through. The level of competition has been really good this year, and it’s been a great tournament to be part of. Now, we have got a big game and we’re looking forward to it,” he said.
In 10 matches and seven innings, Santner has scored a handy 150 runs at an average of 50.00 and a strike rate of over 145, with a best score of 39*. He has also taken 10 wickets at an average of 24.20, with best figures of 5/16.
Belfast Wolves, meanwhile, come into the final on the back of an impressive qualifier win over Amsterdam Flames. Captain Glenn Maxwell played a decisive role in that victory, returning career-best T20 bowling figures of 4/18 before hitting the winning runs with consecutive sixes, while chasing a modest total of 133, giving them strong momentum heading into the final.
Maxwell has also been impressed by the quality of cricket throughout the inaugural season, particularly the way players have adapted to the challenging European conditions. Reflecting on the tournament, the Belfast Wolves captain said, “The standard of the competition has been outstanding. We have been challenged by the conditions at times, particularly with the weather and wet outfields in Voorburg, but the players deserve a lot of credit for adapting and continuing to play a good brand of cricket. It has come across really well on the telecast, and the fans have also been outstanding throughout the tournament.”
The final will also bring together two sides with plenty of firepower across their line-ups. Edinburgh have seen Brandon McMullen produce a standout 82* against Glasgow Cosmic, while JJ Smuts’ 98 off 60 balls played a major role in their first win over the Wolves. Santner himself has contributed with both bat and ball throughout the campaign.
The Wolves, meanwhile, have a wealth of experience in their middle order, with Glenn Maxwell, Lorcan Tucker and Paul Stirling providing plenty of firepower. Maxwell’s 82* against Edinburgh earlier in the league stage helped Belfast secure a nine-run DLS victory. Maxwell commended his team’s bench strength, saying that reaching the final in the first edition of the tournament despite a few challenges was a huge achievement, and that they now need one final push against the Castle Rockers.
“It has been a massive achievement to be able to reach the final in year one of this competition. We’ve played some great cricket along the way. The fact that we have been able to do it with a couple of injuries along the way. We have had a fairly deep list that we have had to dig deep into. They have all held themselves to a really high standard, and that high standard has carried on throughout this tournament, and hopefully we can carry it through into one final game and one huge effort against the Edinburgh team,” Maxwell added.
Maxwell in 11 games, has scored 242 runs at an average of 30.25 and a strike rate of 172.85, including two fifties and a best score of 82*. He has also taken eight wickets at an average of 8.87, with best figures of 4/18.
With the first-ever ETPL title on the line, Edinburgh’s consistency throughout the league stage will meet Belfast’s recent momentum, setting up a blockbuster finish to what has been a tremendous tournament. (ANI)
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