Prime Minister Modi visited the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese on the last day of his Australia tour, highlighting the strong sporting ties between the two countries. During his visit, Modi presented former Australian captain Steve Waugh with a nearly 20-year-old framed photo taken during his meeting with the cricket legend when he was chief minister of Gujarat. He is also happy to see young talent taking to the field and performing at the stadium.Modi said there are good opportunities for India and Australia to cooperate in the field of sports as India and Australia prepare to host major international events. “As our two countries prepare to host major global sporting events in the coming years, there is huge potential to deepen cooperation in sports, youth engagement, infrastructure and talent development,” he said in a post on X.The leaders of the two countries also announced a roadmap for sports cooperation, aiming to expand cooperation 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 announced that the opening match of the 2026-27 Big Bash League season will be held at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, making it the first BBL match to be held outside Australia. Welcoming the move, Modi said: “For any sports league, hosting events in India guarantees wide reach and viewership.”Albanese also praised the fierce cricketing rivalry between India and Australia and recalled the record attendances set for the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He expressed his gratitude to cricket legends Steve Waugh and Lisa Sthalekar and said: “It is an honor to be here with two Australian cricket legends who are also admired and respected in India. Lisa Sthalekar and Steve Waugh.” The leaders also visited the Shane Warne CG at the MCG.
