Former Black Caps Launch Edinburgh Cricket Team

Cricket is coming to Edinburgh in a big way, and it has deep New Zealand roots.

Former Black Caps players Kyle Mills and Nathan McCullum are backing a brand new Twenty20 franchise called the Edinburgh Castle Rockers. The team is one of three founding clubs in the European T20 Premier League, unveiled this week in Sydney.

The New Zealand connection runs deep. Current Black Caps captain Mitchell Santner has signed on as the team's first player. The partnership between the Edinburgh franchise and Otago Cricket celebrates a centuries-old bond between the Scottish capital and the southern New Zealand region.

Dunedin, one of Otago's main cities, takes its name from Dùn Èideann, the traditional Gaelic name for Edinburgh. Now that cultural connection is creating opportunities for players and fans on both sides of the world.

"Edinburgh is a lovely part of the world to be playing cricket," Santner said in a video announcement. "This sounds like a really exciting competition to be a part of."

The Castle Rockers will compete against teams from Amsterdam and Belfast in the league's first season. The Amsterdam Flames are backed by former Australian captain Steve Waugh, while Australian star Glenn Maxwell is among the owners of the Irish Wolves.

Three more teams from Dublin, Glasgow, and Rotterdam will join the league soon. The first season is scheduled to begin on August 26.

The Ripple Effect

This new league is opening doors for cricket in places where the sport hasn't traditionally had a professional presence. European cricket fans will get to watch international stars play in their own cities without traveling to England or beyond.

For players from New Zealand and Australia, it creates another opportunity to compete at the highest level while strengthening global cricket connections. The partnership model between established cricket regions and emerging markets could become a blueprint for growing the sport worldwide.

The collaboration between Edinburgh and Otago shows how shared history can spark modern innovation, bringing communities together across oceans through the sport they love.