Australia’s domestic Twenty20 cricket league to open its season in Chennai, India

By The Associated Press
July 9, 2026 | 11:21 PM

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia’s Twenty20 domestic competition will open its cricket season in India in December and Big Bash League officials are hoping for a big turnout at Chennai’s 38,000-seat MA Chidambaram Stadium.

After months of speculation, the Melbourne Renegades’ match against the Perth Scorchers on Dec. 12 was confirmed during a special event at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday led by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.

It marks the first time a BBL match will be played outside of Australia.

The evening match in Australia will start in the afternoon in India and follow the conclusion of the fourth day of the test between Australia and New Zealand in Perth, Western Australia.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Greece won’t extradite to Australia a fugitive wanted for a 1999 fatal nightclub stabbing

By The Associated Press
July 23, 2026 | 7:54 AM

THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — A Greek appeals court denied an Australian request to extradite a man wanted on suspicion of a 1999 nightclub killing because the statute of limitations on the crime has run out, the fugitive's lawyer said Thursday. James Dalamangas, 56, was arrested in Aigio, southern Greece last month on charges of illegal possession of weapons after police seized a crossbow, arrows and two knives in a search of his home. He was also charged with providing false testimony, after allegedly giving false identity details to the Greek authorities. He was released until the appeals court in the city of Patra could rule on the Australian extradition request. Australian media described Dalamangas as one of the country's most wanted men in connection with the stabbing death of George Giannopoulos in a Sydney nightclub. Dalamangas' lawyer, Nikos Apostolopoulos, told The Associated Press that an key element to the appeals court's decision was that a 25-year statute of limitations had expired, in line with Greek law.

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