3 min readJul 10, 2026 08:47 AM IST Cricket Australia on Friday confirmed that the Big Bash League’s first overseas match, involving defending champions Perth Scorchers and Melbourne Renegades, will be played at India’s iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai in December this year. The match will be the opener of the 16th edition of the BBL, set to be played on the home turf of IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings on December 12. The landmark announcement was made during India Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese’s visit to the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Friday, with cricket viewed as a major vehicle for deepening ties between the two nations. “Our sport has such an authentic connection in India,” CA’s general manager of Big Bash Leagues, Alistair Dobson, told cricket.com.au. “This game is also part of a much bigger initiative across both our governments and shows that cricket is a connector for both our countries, and that both the Australian and Indian governments see that and want to be part of …