Former Australia Test batter Matthew Hayden is set to become the head coach of Glasgow Cosmic, a franchise in the upcoming European T20 Premier League (ETPL). The inaugural tournament is scheduled to run from August 26 to September 20.
Hayden, 54, has been involved in coaching since his retirement from playing in 2012, most recently serving as batting coach for Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League. He also held batting and mentoring roles with Pakistan's national team from 2021 until after the 2022 T20 World Cup.
The left-hander played 103 Tests, 161 ODIs, and nine T20Is for Australia between 1993 and 2009, amassing over 15,000 international runs. He will be joined at Glasgow Cosmic by assistant coach Matthew Mott, another Queenslander who previously coached England's white-ball team.
Several high-profile players have already signed with Cosmic, including New Zealand opener Finn Allen, South African fast bowler Lungi Ngidi, and former England all-rounder Liam Livingstone.
The ETPL is a collaborative effort between the cricket boards of Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands. Teams will be based in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Belfast, Dublin, Glasgow, and Edinburgh. Glasgow Cosmic is backed by India's Mugafi Group. Notable investors in other franchises include former Australia captain Steve Waugh and Indian legend Rahul Dravid.
The first edition of the tournament will be held in The Hague and Dublin.