Rahul Dravid, Steve Waugh, Abhishek Bachchan Attend Hockey World Cup Match
ETPL co-owners join hockey action in Netherlands as cricket and hockey stars come together ahead of European T20 Premier League.
Cricket and hockey came together in the Netherlands as European T20 Premier League (ETPL) co-owner Abhishek Bachchan, Dublin Guardians co-owner Rahul Dravid, and Amsterdam Flames co-owners Steve Waugh and Jamie Dwyer attended the India-Netherlands men's fixture at the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 at the Wagener Stadium here.
While Bachchan met the Harmanpreet Singh-led Indian team following the match and wished the players success for the remainder of their World Cup campaign, Dravid, Waugh and Dwyer watched the action from the stands.
Speaking about his experience at the Hockey World Cup, Bachchan said it was his first time attending the tournament and praised the organisers and host countries for putting together a "wonderful show".
"I've always followed hockey a lot, but it's wonderful to see the flair that has come into the sport over the years. I really believe hockey is a very exciting sport," Bachchan said.
The visit came just days before the inaugural season of the ICC-sanctioned European T20 Premier League gets underway on August 26.
The tournament will feature six city-based franchises and run until September 20, with matches scheduled at two venues — Voorburg in the Netherlands and Malahide in Ireland.
The opening fixture will see Rotterdam Dockers take on Amsterdam Flames in Voorburg, marking the beginning of the league's inaugural season and another step in the growth of European cricket.
The presence of prominent cricket figures and Bachchan at the Hockey World Cup also underscored the growing sporting connections between cricket and hockey in the Netherlands.