MELBOURNE, July 10, 2026: The Melbourne Renegades and Perth Scorchers will make history when they open the KFC BBL|16 season in Chennai, India, taking one of the world’s most entertaining T20 competitions to a passionate cricket heartland. The announcement was made by Australian PM Anthony Albanese and Indian PM Narendra Modi visited the MCG, during the last day of the Indian PM’s 3-days visit here.
For the first time, the Big Bash will roar to life outside Australia, with the season opener showcasing the noise, colour and world class cricket that has made the BBL a global phenomenon to a brand-new army of fans.
The M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai will host the full Big Bash experience, with the Renegades and Scorchers ready to launch BBL|16 in unforgettable fashion.
Australian viewers won’t miss a moment of the action, with Seven Network and Fox Cricket commentary teams broadcasting live from the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai while JioStar will broadcast the match to millions of Indian viewers.
The landmark BBL match is likely to deepen the relationship between Australia and India and is in part supported by the Australian Government and the Centre for Australia-India Relations (CAIR) through a Maitri grant.
The Maitri program is an Australian Government initiative that aims to strengthen ties with India through education, research and policy collaboration.
Alistair Dobson, Cricket Australia Executive General Manager – Big Bash Leagues, said: “Today is a huge moment for the Big Bash Leagues and for Australian cricket. Chennai is home to some of the most passionate cricket fans on the planet, and we can’t wait to bring the BBL to the MA Chidambaram Stadium. We’re hugely excited by the opportunity and we expect the match will be the most-watched game in Australian domestic league history for any sport.
“We appreciate the strong interest shown by all of our clubs in this project. In particular, we want to thank the Melbourne Renegades, Perth Scorchers and their players for getting on board and embracing the opportunity to take a competitive Big Bash match overseas.
Ryan Neelam, CEO Centre for Australia India Relations, said: “Cricket is a powerful connector between Australia and India, and we’re proud to support Cricket Australia through our Maitri Grants program to bring the Big Bash League to Chennai.
Mr T. J. Srinivasaraj, Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) President, said: “The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) is privileged to partner with Cricket Australia (CA) in this landmark occasion of staging the first-ever Big Bash League match in India.
The full KFC BBL|16 schedule will be announced next week.
Match Details
Melbourne Renegades vs Perth Scorchers
Saturday, 12 December 2026
M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
2:40pm local/8:10pm AEDT
