The Big Bash League will play its first-ever match outside of Australia on 12 December 2026, in Chennai, India. The Melbourne Renegades will face the defending champions, the Perth Scorchers, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium to launch the BBL 16 season.
%Breaking -India will host the opening match of Australia’s Big Bash T20 league this year, announce the PMs of both countries
This is the first foreign cricket league to play in India pic.twitter.com/ZyzaveurdZ
— NEWS WALA (@NEWSWALApy) July 10, 2026
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi confirmed the historic match during a meeting at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
A Historic Milestone for Australian Cricket
Cricket Australia (CA) has officially locked in Chennai as the venue for the BBL|16 season opener. This decision follows months of planning to take Australia’s premier T20 competition to a global market. Consequently, the league hopes this match will become the most-watched game in the history of the Big Bash.
Cricket Australia has confirmed Melbourne Renegades will play Perth Scorchers in India this December in what the league anticipates will be the most watched game in Big Bash history: https://t.co/AyEEyaoJhc pic.twitter.com/Stnz0lzoNs
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) July 10, 2026
The announcement is part of a larger government initiative called ‘G’day Namaste’. This project uses cricket to strengthen the friendship between Australia and India. The fixture was supported by a Maitri grant from the Centre for Australia-India Relations. Therefore, the game is more than a sporting fixture; it is a diplomatic means for both countries.
Match Schedule and Broadcast Details
Fans in both Australia and India can watch the game live on December 12. The match starts in the mid-afternoon in Chennai at 2:40 pm local time. Meanwhile, Australian viewers can tune in during the evening at 8:10 pm AEDT or 5:10 pm AWST.
The timing is very important for the summer cricket schedule. The BBL opener will begin immediately after day four of the first Test match between Australia and New Zealand in Perth.
Also, the match will be broadcast on several major networks. The game will be streamed live on Channel Seven, 7plus, Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports in Australia. In India, millions of fans will be able to watch the broadcast on JioStar. Both Australian TV networks will send their full commentary teams to India.
Why Chennai Was Chosen for the BBL Opener
Chennai is a city with a massive passion for cricket. The MA Chidambaram Stadium, also known as Chepauk, can hold about 38,000 people. Officials chose this location because fans there are famously loyal to their local Indian Premier League (IPL) team, the Chennai Super Kings.
Cricket Australia’s General Manager of Big Bash Leagues, Alistair Dobson, noted that the BBL already has a huge following in India. Last summer, the TV audience in India for BBL matches was 50 per cent higher than the audience for the Ashes Test series. Thus, taking a live match to India allows the league to connect directly with its largest international fan base.
The Competing Teams: Renegades vs Scorchers
This match will be played with the “home” team being the Melbourne Renegades. Although they are playing in India, they chose to sacrifice one of their five regular home games to be part of this historic event. The Renegades are currently in a transition phase, as Cricket Victoria is looking for private investors to buy the team. Playing in India gives them a good chance to show their potential to prospective buyers overseas.
The Perth Scorchers are the most successful team in BBL history with six titles. As the defending champions, they were an obvious choice for the opening match. Many Scorchers players are already famous in India. Mitch Marsh and Cooper Connolly played in the IPL earlier this year. They will probably have the edge because of their knowledge of Chennai conditions.
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