Melbourne-Muhammad Saad Abbasi Australian Government and Cricket Australia to celebrate the ’Summer of Cricket’ in Chennai on 25 May 2024 The Australian Government and Cricket Australia will begin the countdown to the blockbuster 2024-25 season with an event in Chennai on 25 May 2024. With only six months to go until the start of the Men’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy Series, the event will focus on the upcoming tours to Australia of the Indian men’s and women’s cricket teams. The evening will see leaders from across industry, business and government join a host of cricket greats to celebrate the Australia-India relationship. Highlighting the opportunities for Indian business leaders from the Australia India Summer of Cricket, Australian High Commissioner to India, Philip Green added, “The Border-Gavaskar trophy series promises to be the highlight of this summer’s cricket calendar. That’s why I’m encouraging Indian business leaders to travel to Australia to be there for the big games, develop new connections with Australian corporates, and experience all Australia has to offer.” The event will celebrate Australia and India’s long-running cricket ties and will highlight the opportunity to witness the greatest teams in cricket go head-to-head. CAIR and CA will also offer a tailored business program that will facilitate connections between Australian and Indian industry and government networks through a range of blockbuster events, conferences, gala functions and business matching programs held in conjunction with the series in Australia. Adam Gilchrist, former Australian Test captain, and CAIR Advisory Board Director, said “We have been delighted to design a Summer of Cricket program with Cricket Australia that will help cricket be a binding force for our two nations across community, business, entertainment and tourism. We can expect many not to be missed moments Downunder this Summer”. Nick Hockley, Cricket Australia Chief Executive Officer added, “Cricket has a unique ability to bring people together and with the support of the Australian Government through the Centre for Australia-India Relations, it is wonderful to meet and spend time with so many leaders across business and government at such an exciting time for the game and the bilateral relationship. It is also great to experience the enormous anticipation for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy and women’s ODI series this summer in Australia. We can’t wait to welcome all the hugely passionate and knowledgeable India fans to stadiums across Australia this blockbuster summer.” In partnership with Qantas, Penfolds and Star Sports, the official broadcaster of Australian Cricket in India, the night will showcase the best of Australian food and wine and will showcase the unique travel experiences and attractions available throughout the country this summer. Last week, Qantas announced it would increase flights from Bengaluru to Sydney to daily from December 2024 until March 2025, adding over 12,000 seats between the two cities over the four-month period to cater for the peak season demand. The event will also promote a range of premium travel packages and experiences available in and around the cricket, including those specifically offered by the Cricket Australia Travel Office before tickets go on sale on 14 June 2024.

Melbourne-Muhammad Saad Abbasi, Wasim Akram and Ravi Shastri among 54 named as Cricket Australia’s Multicultural Ambassadors for two years. Cricket Australia is proud to launch its Multicultural Ambassador Program, naming 54 people with diverse background and experience across government, business, sport, media and community as the as the inaugural representatives. Announced as a key action from the Australian Cricket Multicultural Action Plan, the Ambassador Program brings together esteemed leaders from various sectors to advocate for inclusivity and drive positive change within the sport and wider community. The list of ambassadors includes many past and current players, as well as industry and community leaders, who will champion diversity and support the goals outlined in the Multicultural Action Plan. Inaugural ambassadors include Usman Khawaja, Mel Jones, Wasim Akram, Ravi Shastri, Lisa Sthalekar, Kishwar Chowdhury, Alana King, Peter Varghese, Swati Dave and Fawad Ahmed. The full list of ambassadors can be found here:https://www.cricket.com.au/social-impact-and-sustainability/diversity-and-inclusion/multicultural/multicultural-ambassador-program? The ambassadors, hailing from government, business, community, media, and cricket will help drive the five focus areas of Australian Cricket’s Multicultural Action Plan: Participation, High Performance, People and Representation, Communications and Engagement and Event and Experience. Focusing on areas specific to their expertise the ambassadors will offer leadership, insight, and support to foster greater connectivity across the Australian cricket landscape. Cricket Australia CEO, Nick Hockley said: “We are thrilled to welcome such a dynamic and diverse group as Multicultural Ambassadors. Their collective leadership, expertise and passion will be instrumental in driving meaningful change and fostering a more inclusive cricketing community. “The Multicultural Ambassador Program represents Cricket Australia’s unwavering commitment to creating a sport that reflects contemporary Australian society and embraces individuals from all backgrounds. Through collaboration and collective action, the program aims to ensure that cricket remains a welcoming and inclusive sport for all. “Our objectives are clear: to create more opportunities for multicultural members of the community to engage with cricket, break down barriers, build trust, and drive progress across.” Australian player, Usman Khawaja said: “I am proud to sign on as one of Cricket Australia’s Multicultural Ambassadors, I see the sport as a bridge that connects communities and welcomes all, fostering understanding, respect, and unity. “As a sport we need to take the next step to ensure we get a greater and more equitable representation of the community as a whole by creating opportunities, celebrating our shared love for the game, and inspiring members of all backgrounds to get involved” Former Australian player and cricket commentator, Lisa Sthalekar said: “Being a Cricket Australia Multicultural Ambassador is an incredible honor. It’s a role that allows me to celebrate and promote the diversity that makes our sport so vibrant and inclusive. “Cricket has the power to unite people from all backgrounds, and I am committed to fostering an environment where everyone feels welcome and inspired to be a part of the game.” Engaged for an initial two-year period, the diverse lineup of ambassadors reflects a broad spectrum of cultural backgrounds, with representatives from Indian, Sri Lankan, Pakistani, Indigenous Australian, Bangladeshi, Nepali, and Afghani communities.Among the ambassadors are distinguished high-profile figures, influential business leaders and community champions. This diverse composition ensures a multifaceted approach to addressing the challenges and opportunities related to diversity and inclusion in cricket and society across all levels.

Melbourne, Muhammad Saad Abbasi Cricket Australia (CA) has announced Pakistan fan zones will be created for the Australia-Pakistan white-ball series in November ensuring a vibrant start to the men’s international summer. This exciting initiative aligns with CA’s Multicultural Action Plan, which is designed to foster inclusivity and provide brilliant experiences for cricket fans from diverse backgrounds. The Pakistan men’s cricket team will feature in three ODIs and three T20Is, commencing 4 November at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). CA has designated specific seating areas for Pakistani fans across all six venues. Within the venues, fans will be able to access prayer areas, as well enjoy a selection of halal food, ensuring that fans can enjoy the matches comfortably and with cultural considerations in mind. CA has previously announced the creation of India fan zones for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy, enhancing the match-day experience for Indian fans with dedicated seating areas at all five venues, including the MCG and SCG. Fans will be encouraged to wear blue attire and bring traditional instruments to help create an electrifying atmosphere. Details about ticket sales for the Pakistan and Indian fan zones will be released next week.

Benoni, South Africa AUSTRALIA CLINCH U19 MEN’S CRICKET WORLD CUP CROWN WITH EMPHATIC WIN OVER INDIA Australia’s terrific U19 World Cup side have emulated their seniors by beating India to become champions of the world. A dominant Australian side produced a superb all-round performance to secure their fourth ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup crown, overcoming a formidable Indian side amid a vibrant final atmosphere at Willowmoore Park, Benoni on Sunday. Led by Hugh Weibgen, Australia put in an exceptional display in the blockbuster finale, first posting the highest total ever recorded in a U19 Men’s CWC final and then executing a flawless display of bowling to dismantle India’s chase and secure the win by 79 runs. After compiling a daunting 7-253 off their 50 overs, the Australians, with their “ferocious” young quartet of fast bowlers and the artful spin of Raf MacMillan, skittled out India’s previously unbeaten side for 174 off 43.5 overs at Willowmoore Park. Australian skipper Hugh Weibgen was proud of the effort from his team, especially the quicks, and also had a few words of encouragement for India. “Our plan was to bat first and try and get runs on the board. We backed ourselves. A quality innings from Harjas [Singh]. Full credit to the coaches for sticking with him. They [pacers] can go far as a unit, they know their roles so well. I’ll be surprised if the four of them don’t go a long way in their careers. India are a class side, they dominated the whole tournament, just came out on the wrong side.” Indian captain Uday Saharan commended the fighting spirit of his team and hoped to learn from the experience. “I’m proud of the boys, they played very well and showed good fighting spirit. We played a few rash shots and didn’t spend time in the middle. We were prepared but couldn’t quite execute well. There are a lot of learnings from the tournament. We learnt a lot from the coaches and support staff and more importantly from the games themselves.”