Historic BBL match announced for India after Narendra Modi’s rockstar welcome in Melbourne

Tens of thousands of people gave India’s Prime Minister a rapturous welcome to Melbourne overnight ahead of an announcement that the opening match of Australia’s Big Bash League will be played in his country later this year.

As Narendra Modi and his host Anthony Albanese stepped on to the red carpet of Marvel Stadium on Thursday night, twinkling phone lights illuminated the feverish audience in the stands as they chanted “Modi, Modi, Modi”.

“The spirit of India” was alive across Melbourne, Narendra Modi declared to the crowd of up to 30,000 attendees, who were mostly of Indian heritage.

“The Indianness within you has always endured and been kept alive,” the visiting leader said as he described how community markets across the Victorian capital and Australia captured the colour and spirit of his own nation.

“We Indians are like that — just as when sugar is added to milk, it makes the milk much sweeter,” he said.

“The milk is bought from Australia, however the tea is made the Indian way.”

Australia’s Prime Minister also spoke at the “Melbourne Meets Modi” event with Anthony Albanese welcoming the Indian leader as “a very dear friend”.

Mr Albanese also thanked the largely Indian diaspora crowd, saying about one million Australians can trace their roots back to the South Asian nation.

“Australians of all backgrounds have been enriched by you bringing your culture here and adding it to our multicultural character,” he said.

Mr Albanese told the crowd he spent six weeks backpacking in India in 1991 where he experienced the generosity and warmth of its people.

“I learned there something very simple and clear … if you want to understand India, get on a train,” he said.

The two leaders again appeared together on Friday, this time on the turf of the Melbourne Cricket Ground, to announce that Australia will bring the Big Bash League to India for the first time this summer.

On December 12 the Melbourne Renegades will take on defending champions Perth Scorchers at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium, before one of global cricket’s most passionate audiences.

“Australia and India are united by our love and passion for sport,” the Australian Prime Minister said standing next to his Indian guest.

“I am excited to expand cooperation with India on sport, which not only brings joy to Australians but boosts trade, tourism and investment.”

The BBL match will be the cornerstone of a week-long festival called ‘G’day Namaste’ to be held across India in December, featuring Australian cultural, business and sports events.

“I am confident that just like in sports, our partnership too will become a champion in every field,” Mr Modi said during his joint appearance with Mr Albanese at the MCG.

Commercial terms around the BBL match, such as ticket sales, have not been finalised.

“We know they’re incredibly passionate cricket fans all over India, but particularly in Chennai,” Cricket Australia’s BBL chief Alistair Dobson told reporters.

“Everyone we’ve spoken to has been really optimistic that we should expect a good crowd.”

Following meetings on Thursday, the two leaders signed a series of agreements to boost cooperation in areas such as defence and nuclear energy which will see billions of dollars’ worth of increased Australian uranium exports to India.

In a joint declaration, both countries agreed to stage increasingly complex defence exercises, expand aircraft deployments from each other’s territories, and share more information between their militaries.

Federal Resources Minister Madeline King would not be drawn on whether a ban on establishing new uranium mines in Western Australia would soon have to be lifted to help accommodate the increased demand from India.

Currently, only South Australia and the Northern Territory allow uranium mining, despite Minister King’s home state of Western Australia having capacity to produce an estimated 8000 tonnes for export each year.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan opened Thursday evening’s event, saying her state was “home to more Indian-Australians than anywhere else”.

“Victoria respects India, we value your people,” she said.

“We welcome your students, your businesses, your families, your ideas.

“In Victoria the Indian community is not just accepted, they are part of who we are.”

Mr Modi is wrapping up his third official visit to Australia in 12 years on Friday, having first been formally welcomed here in 2014 by then-prime minister Tony Abbott.

With AAP