Champions! Edinburgh Castle Rockers Win the Inaugural ETPL
Published on September 21, 2026
Summary Overview: Edinburgh Castle Rockers won the inaugural ETPL 2026 title, beating Belfast Wolves by 7 wickets in the final. Andries Gous hit an unbeaten 90 to seal the chase.
Gous Masterclass Crowns Edinburgh the First-Ever ETPL Winners
Who won the final?
The Edinburgh Castle Rockers, who beat the Belfast Wolves by 7 wickets to be crowned the first-ever champions of the European T20 Premier League.
Who was the Player of the Match?
Wicketkeeper-batter Andries Gous, whose unbeaten 90 off 61 balls guided Edinburgh home with ease.
Who won Player of the Series?
Faf du Plessis, the tournament's leading run-scorer with 449 runs, even though his Rotterdam Dockers did not reach the final.
Match Report: Edinburgh Finish the Job
The team that led the way all season saved its best for last. In the final of the inaugural European T20 Premier League at The Village in Dublin, table-toppers Edinburgh Castle Rockers produced a clinical, controlled performance to beat the Belfast Wolves by 7 wickets and lift the trophy.
For readers new to this competition: the ETPL is Europe's new six-team franchise league, and this was its very first final. Edinburgh had been the standout side across the league stage, and they proved it when it mattered most.
The Road to the Final
The two finalists arrived by very different routes. Edinburgh Castle Rockers earned the simpler path by finishing top of the table after the league stage. In the ETPL playoff format, the side that finishes first goes straight through to the final, so Edinburgh could rest up with a guaranteed place in the decider while the others fought it out.
Belfast Wolves had to do it the hard way. They finished third and were sent into the Qualifier, a single knockout game against the second-placed Amsterdam Flames, with only the winner going through. Belfast rose to the occasion superbly. Their bowlers dismantled a star-studded Amsterdam line-up, one featuring Steve Smith and
Tim David, bowling them out for just 133. The Wolves then knocked off the runs at a canter, reaching 136 for 3 to win by 7 wickets with more than an over to spare. That performance, at the same Dublin venue, booked their place in the final and set up this showdown with the table-toppers.
Belfast Stutter as Tector Stands Tall
Belfast, who had come through the Qualifier to reach the final, were put in to bat and immediately found scoring hard against a disciplined Edinburgh attack. New-ball star Trent Boult set the tone with 2 for 21, removing danger man Paul Stirling cheaply, and the wickets kept falling at regular intervals.
The Belfast innings became a one-man show. Tim Tector played beautifully for 84 off 62 balls, but he received almost no support. Captain Glenn Maxwell (3), Devon Conway (29) and Lorcan Tucker (6) all came and went, leaving Tector to carry the load. He was last out on the final ball, and Belfast finished on a below-par 150 for 5. It never looked like enough.
Gous Seals It in Style
Chasing 151, Edinburgh were rarely troubled. Ross Adair got them off to a brisk start, but the innings belonged to Andries Gous, who anchored the chase with a calm and classy unbeaten 90 off 61 balls, striking eight fours and four sixes.
He found useful support from Brandon McMullen (17) and simply refused to let the required rate climb. Edinburgh cruised to 151 for 3 with 8 balls to spare, and Gous was there at the end to hit the winning runs and spark the celebrations. Belfast's bowlers, including Maxwell himself, had no answer.
Turning Point
The final was shaped by Belfast's inability to build a total. Edinburgh's bowlers, led superbly by Trent Boult, kept chipping away and never let the Wolves' star-studded order settle. When wickets fall around one lone batter, even a fine innings like Tim Tector's 84 cannot lift a team to a match-winning score, and 150 was simply too little on a good surface. From the moment Andries Gous settled at the crease in the chase, the outcome rarely looked in doubt.
Stat Corner
Top Performers
| Player | Team | Performance / Stats | Award |
| Andries Gous | Edinburgh | 90 not out (61) | Player of the Match |
| Tim Tector | Belfast | 84 (62) | — |
| Trent Boult | Edinburgh | 2 for 21 | — |
| Devon Conway | Belfast | 29 (24) | — |
| Tom Curran | Edinburgh | 1 for 33 | — |
Innings Snapshot
| Metric | Belfast Wolves | Edinburgh Castle Rockers |
| Total | 150 for 5 (20 overs) | 151 for 3 (18.4 overs) |
| Run Rate | 7.50 | 8.09 |
| Powerplay Runs | 41 | 54 |
| Result | Runners-up | Won by 7 wickets |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the ETPL 2026?
The Edinburgh Castle Rockers, who beat the Belfast Wolves by 7 wickets in the final to become the inaugural champions.
How many did Andries Gous score?
Gous hit an unbeaten 90 off 61 balls to steer Edinburgh to the title and take the Player of the Match award.
Who top-scored for Belfast?
Tim Tector, with a lone-hand 84, was the only Belfast batter to pass 30.
Who was Player of the Series?
Faf du Plessis, who scored a tournament-high 449 runs for the Rotterdam Dockers.
Where was the final played?
At The Village in Malahide, Dublin.
Related Guides and Series Coverage
📋 European T20 Premier League 2026: Full Results and Standings
📋 ETPL 2026 Standing: How the Final Was Reached