‘Exciting to see how quickly the competition is finding its own identity’ – Santner, Nortje, Boult share experience of playing in ETPL 2026

The opening week of ETPL 2026 witnessed three international bowlers achieve their best-ever T20 performances, marking a significant milestone in the competition’s inaugural season.

Trent Boult, playing for Edinburgh Castle Rockers, took 5 for 24 against Glasgow Cosmic on August 27, 2026, surpassing his previous best T20 figures of 4 for 13 recorded against Sri Lanka in 2022. Anrich Nortje, representing Rotterdam Dockers, claimed 5 for 11 against Belfast Wolves on August 29, 2026, improving on his earlier career-best of 4 for 7 against Sri Lanka in 2024. Mitchell Santner, captaining Edinburgh Castle Rockers, took 5 for 16 against Dublin Guardians on August 30, 2026, bettering his previous best of 4 for 11 against India in 2016.

Boult said that everything he tried in the game against Glasgow clicked and it helped him register his best-ever T20 bowling figures.

“You don’t play the game expecting to set personal records every time you walk out. You just try to read the conditions, execute your plans and give your team the best chance to win. It was one of those days where everything came together, and to have that happen in the first season of ETPL makes it pretty special,” Boult said while speaking to the league.

Santner emphasises ETPL’s emerging identity and appeal

On the other hand, Santner expressed his happiness at seeing how the ETPL is developing in its inaugural season and bringing fans to the ground.

“What’s exciting about ETPL is seeing how quickly the competition is finding its own identity. You’ve got international players, local European talent and different styles coming together. For me, the personal numbers are great, but being part of building something new in European cricket is what makes this experience particularly enjoyable,” Santner said.

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Nortje describes conditions and execution in five-wicket performance

Meanwhile, Rotterdam Dockers’ Anrich Nortje admitted that bagging a five-for in the shortest format, which he did in the match against Belfast Wolves, does not happen too often. He said that the conditions suited him and his focus was on using them to the best of his abilities.

“It was great to get a 5 for in T20. It is not something that comes by often, and when you get the opportunity, you have to take it. Conditions suited my bowling on the day and I was just focused on using it to the best of my ability, where needed by the team,” Nortje said.