Melbourne: Australia's Twenty20 Big Bash League (BBL) will launch its upcoming season in Chennai, marking the first time a foreign domestic cricket tournament will stage a fixture in the lucrative Indian market.

The historic scheduling was disclosed on Friday during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official visit to Melbourne, forming part of a wider bilateral initiative to deepen ties between the two nations.

The Melbourne Renegades are scheduled to face the reigning title-holders, the Perth Scorchers, on 12 December at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium, playing in front of one of the world's most enthusiastic cricket fanbases.

"Australia and India are united by our love and passion for sport," Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. "I am excited to expand cooperation with India on sport, which not only brings joy to Australians but boosts trade, tourism and investment."

The opening fixture will serve as the centrepiece for a week-long cultural celebration named the 'G’day Namaste' festival, which will run across India in December to showcase Australian arts, commerce, and sporting events.

"I am confident that just like in sports, our partnership too will become a champion in every field," Modi remarked during a joint presentation with Albanese at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Financial arrangements surrounding the landmark fixture, including ticketing details, are yet to be concluded.

"We know they're incredibly passionate cricket fans all over India, but particularly in Chennai," Alistair Dobson, Cricket Australia's executive general manager of Big Bash Leagues, told reporters. "Everyone we've spoken to has been really optimistic that we should expect a good crowd."

The encounter will represent the first time a BBL match has ever been contested beyond Australian shores.

"This is a genuinely historic moment for Perth Scorchers and for cricket in Western Australia," Western Australia cricket chief John Stephenson said in a statement. "India is the heartland of global cricket, and bringing the Scorchers to that audience is an opportunity we have embraced wholeheartedly."

With inputs from AFP