Overview
- Cricket Australia and Prime Ministers Anthony Albanese and Narendra Modi confirmed on Friday that the Melbourne Renegades will play the Perth Scorchers at Chennai’s M. A. Chidambaram Stadium on December 12, 2026 as the season opener.
- Organisers say this will be the first-ever BBL match staged outside Australia and the first official foreign domestic league game played in India.
- Commercial and operational details remain unfinished with ticketing, broadcast start times, travel packages and final approvals expected to be settled in the coming weeks.
- Government and cricket officials are framing the fixture as a diplomatic and cultural platform supported by the Centre for Australia-India Relations and linked to the India‑Australia Sports Collaboration Roadmap.
- The BBL already holds Indian media rights with JioStar through 2030, Cricket Australia is exploring private investment, and officials have expressed hope that the match could open the door to reciprocal events such as IPL games visiting Australia in future.