Glenn Maxwell: USA nearly upset India at T20 WC; ETPL can close Europe's gap
Synopsis
Glenn Maxwell says a dropped catch off Suryakumar Yadav may have been all that stood between the USA and one of cricket's biggest T20 World Cup upsets — and he believes the ETPL can give European teams the platform to make such near-misses a regular occurrence.
Key Takeaways
Glenn Maxwell , co-owner and captain of Belfast Wolves , spoke at the ETPL 2026 Player Draft in New Delhi on Thursday .
Maxwell said the USA came close to upsetting India at the T20 World Cup , citing a dropped catch off Suryakumar Yadav as a potential turning point.
He backed the European T20 Premier League (ETPL) to accelerate the rise of European and Associate cricket nations.
Ireland's recent T20I series win over India was cited as a sign of Associate cricket's growing competitiveness.
Maxwell said franchise league exposure is key to fast-tracking development, drawing on the expanded T20 World Cup format as evidence.
Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has said that the United States came within touching distance of upsetting India at the T20 World Cup, and that the newly launched European T20 Premier League (ETPL) can play a decisive role in accelerating the development of Associate cricket nations. Maxwell, who serves as co-owner and captain of the Belfast Wolves, made the remarks at a media interaction following the ETPL 2026 Player Draft on Thursday in New Delhi.
Maxwell's Take on USA vs India
Maxwell pointed to the USA's performance against India at the last T20 World Cup as concrete evidence that the gap between established cricket powerhouses and emerging nations is closing fast. He noted that a single dropped catch — a reference to Suryakumar Yadav — may have been all that separated the Americans from one of the biggest upsets in recent ICC tournament history.
'Yeah, I think you've only got to look at a team like the US. The way that they've grown as a team and how they played at the last T20 World Cup... And if they had probably caught SKY (Suryakumar Yadav), they might have even upset India there as well,' Maxwell said.
What ETPL Means for European Cricket
Maxwell was asked specifically whether the ETPL could help make results like Ireland's recent T20I series win over India more frequent by giving European players a stronger competitive platform. He backed the league to do exactly that, drawing a parallel with how franchise cricket has historically fast-tracked development in Associate nations.
'Hopefully the same thing will happen with the ETPL. It can happen quite fast, the growth in these nations. With the, I suppose, inspiring the next generation of cricket,' he said.
The Role of Franchise Leagues in Associate Cricket
The Belfast Wolves captain acknowledged that building a sustainable cricket culture requires time, but argued that recent ICC tournaments — particularly the expanded T20 World Cup — have already demonstrated that Associate nations can push Full Members to their limits. 'It might take a little bit longer. But as we've seen over the last period... involving so many different nations. It can happen quite fast,' Maxwell noted.
He emphasised that regular exposure to sides with deep World Cup experience is the key ingredient. 'Teams get their opportunity to play against these bigger nations. Who have got a lot more experience... And to be able to push them right to the edge. And challenge them at different times,' he added.
Looking Ahead
Maxwell concluded with a forward-looking statement, tying the future trajectory of European cricket directly to the ETPL's success. 'I think that's what we're going to see in the future, pending the success of the ETPL,' he said. The league's 2026 Player Draft has already drawn significant attention, with Maxwell's involvement as a franchise captain lending the competition high-profile credibility. Whether ETPL can replicate the developmental impact of leagues like the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) or the SA20 remains to be seen, but Maxwell's endorsement signals strong intent from the cricketing world's established names.
Point of View
But the gap between inspiration and infrastructure is wide. Ireland's series win over India is an outlier today; the real question is whether the ETPL can generate the volume and quality of competitive cricket needed to make such results structurally repeatable, not just occasional upsets.
NationPress
2 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Glenn Maxwell say about the USA vs India T20 World Cup match?
Maxwell said the USA came very close to upsetting India at the T20 World Cup, suggesting that a dropped catch off Suryakumar Yadav could have changed the result. He used the example to argue that Associate nations are capable of challenging the sport's biggest teams.
What is the European T20 Premier League (ETPL)?
The ETPL is a franchise-based T20 cricket league aimed at developing European and Associate cricket nations by giving players regular exposure to high-quality competition. The 2026 Player Draft was held in New Delhi, with Maxwell serving as co-owner and captain of the Belfast Wolves franchise.
How can the ETPL help European cricket teams?
According to Maxwell, franchise leagues accelerate cricketing development by providing consistent competitive exposure against experienced international sides. He believes the ETPL can inspire the next generation of European cricketers and help close the gap with Full Member nations.
What is the significance of Ireland's T20I series win over India?
Ireland's series win over India is widely seen as a landmark result for Associate cricket, demonstrating that European teams can defeat top-ranked Full Members. Maxwell cited it as an example of the kind of result the ETPL could help make more frequent.
Who is Glenn Maxwell's role in the ETPL?
Glenn Maxwell is the co-owner and captain of the Belfast Wolves in the European T20 Premier League. He participated in the ETPL 2026 Player Draft and has publicly backed the league as a vehicle for Associate cricket development.
