Ireland international Jai Moondra emerged as one of the biggest names in the inaugural European T20 Premier League (ETPL) player draft after being selected as the first pick by Rotterdam Dockers.
Fresh from being named Player of the Series in Ireland’s recent T20I series victory over India, Moondra was among the standout selections as the league’s six franchises drafted 36 players. The draft featured an even distribution of talent, with 12 players each from Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands joining teams ahead of the competition’s debut season.
Rotterdam Dockers made an early statement by securing Moondra before adding Michael Levitt and Ryan Klein to strengthen their squad. Other franchises also moved quickly to lock in key players. Amsterdam Flames opened with Curtis Campher before selecting Kyle Klein and Tim Pringle, while Irish Wolves picked Matthew Humphreys and later added experienced campaigners Paul Stirling and Fred Klaassen.
Dublin Guardians selected Benjamin Calitz as their first choice before bringing in George Dockrell and Craig Young. Edinburgh Castle Rockers opted for Gareth Delany, followed by Ross Adair and Safyaan Sharif, while Glasgow Cosmic chose Brad Currie before reinforcing their squad with Matthew Cross and Paul van Meekeren.
Rotterdam Dockers co-owner Jonty Rhodes said Moondra had been one of the franchise’s priority targets after his impressive performances on the international stage.
“Jai Moondra was someone we were particularly keen to bring into the squad after the way he has announced himself on the international stage. He is an exciting young talent with tremendous potential, and we’re delighted to have secured him. Alongside Jai, we’ve put together a really exciting group of players from across Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands. We believe we have a strong, balanced squad with the depth and quality to be highly competitive, and we’re looking forward to seeing them come together when the league gets underway,” Rhodes said.
Dublin Guardians captain and mentor R Ashwin said the franchise placed greater importance on team balance than the nationality of players during the draft.
“While majority of our picks were Irish, I think nationality comes second; it’s about the quality of the player and how they will fit into our mix. I do believe that, going into an auction or a draft, every single player that you pick must be a playable resource,” Ashwin said.
The inaugural ETPL draft has laid the foundation for the league’s first season, with franchises assembling squads that combine established performers and emerging talent from across Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands.
