SYDNEY - World champions Australia will host India in five one-day internationals and three Twenty20 internationals in January, it was announced Thursday.
Cricket Australia (CA) said it wanted to build on the success of the World Cup co-hosted with New Zealand earlier this year when former champions India lost to Australia in the semi-final in Sydney. "We want to build on this great momentum," CA executive general manager Mike McKenna said. "Following the World Cup, we are determined that local Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Afghan, Sri Lankan and other overseas-born fans who packed Australia's grounds with good-humoured noise and colour are able to maintain their passion for cricket as part of their adopted Australian lifestyles." Australia and India are the world's top-ranked one-day teams with their World Cup semi-final watched by more than 300 million fans on Star TV in India, CA said.
CA also announced that the Sydney Cricket Ground will host all internationals in New South Wales state. T20s have been staged at Sydney's Olympic stadium since 2010.