Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) along with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the last day of his trip to Australia, where he highlighted the strong sporting ties between the two countries. During the visit, Modi presented former Australian captain Steve Waugh with a framed photograph from nearly 20 years ago, taken when Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat and had met the cricket legend. He also expressed happiness to see the young talent in action at the stadium.Modi said that India and Australia have a great opportunity to work together in sports as both countries prepare to host major international events. In a post on X, he said: “As our nations prepare to host major global sporting events in the coming years, there is immense potential to deepen cooperation in sports, youth engagement, infrastructure and talent development.”The two leaders also unveiled a Roadmap on Sports Cooperation, aimed at expanding collaboration in sports science, technology, talent development, infrastructure, trade and tourism. Modi reiterated India’s ambition to host the 2036 Olympics after hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games.Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced that the opening match of the 2026-27 Big Bash League season will be played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, making it the first BBL game to be held outside Australia. Welcoming the move, Modi said, “For any sports league, hosting an event in India guarantees an extensive reach and audience.”Albanese also praised the strong cricket rivalry between India and Australia, recalling the record attendance during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He acknowledged cricket legends Steve Waugh and Lisa Sthalekar, saying, “It is a great honor to be joined here by two legends of Australian cricket who are also admired and revered in India. Lisa Sthalekar and Steve Waugh.” The leaders also visited the Shane Warne Stand at the MCG.
