Ajinkya Rahane signs with Amsterdam Flames for inaugural European T20 Premier League after international retirement

Ajinkya Rahane signed with the Amsterdam Flames to play in the inaugural European T20 Premier League, which begins on August 26 with matches staged in the Netherlands and Ireland, after he announced his international retirement on July 30, 2026.

The ETPL is a six-team tournament featuring franchises from major cities in Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands: Amsterdam Flames, Belfast Wolves, Dublin Guardians, Edinburgh Castle Rockers, Glasgow Cosmic and Rotterdam Dockers. The first leg of the inaugural season will be played in the Netherlands from August 26 to September 6 at Voorburg Cricket Club in The Hague. The tournament’s second leg will take place in Ireland from September 9 to 20 at Malahide Cricket Club in Dublin.

On Friday, Rahane himself made the announcement. “Europe is entering an exciting phase and has the potential to become one of cricket’s most promising frontiers. What impressed me about Amsterdam Flames is the ambition to build something meaningful that creates a lasting impact both on and off the field. I’m excited to work alongside the management to build a successful franchise.”

Former Australian captain Steve Waugh, co-founder and chief cricket officer of the Amsterdam Flames, welcomed the 38-year-old. “Ajinkya Rahane represents everything you want in a professional cricketer—skill, resilience, humility, and leadership.” Rahane will join the franchise’s leadership group, with the club saying his experience will be key for the franchise heading into the inaugural season of the ETPL.

Apart from Rahane, the Flames have also picked renowned names like Steve Smith, Mitchell Marsh, Tim David and Michael Bracewell. These additions form part of the Amsterdam Flames squad assembled for the tournament’s first edition.

Rahane announced his international retirement on July 30, 2026. He represented India in 85 Tests, 90 ODIs and 20 T20Is, scoring 5,077 Test runs, 5,962 ODI runs and 375 T20I runs, and he played his last international match in July 2023 against West Indies; with no hope left to make a comeback in the Indian team, Rahane announced his retirement.

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Rahane is set to appear for the Amsterdam Flames in the ETPL’s inaugural season starting August 26. The Flames will play the tournament’s first leg at Voorburg Cricket Club in The Hague from August 26 to September 6, with the second leg at Malahide Cricket Club in Dublin from September 9 to 20.