Victoria’s failure to secure a match from the Indian women’s cricket team’s 2026 tour has been raised formally in the Victorian Parliament, adding political weight to growing calls for Melbourne, and the MCG in particular, to be part of the series.
Speaking during adjournment in the Legislative Council on Tuesday evening, Northern Metropolitan MP Evan Mulholland said Victoria had “missed out on or did not actually pursue hosting the women’s international cricket team for their 2026 tour,” describing it as “the biggest stuff-up since Labor’s cancellation of the Commonwealth Games when it comes to tourism to this state.”
“The fact that Victoria missed out on or did not actually pursue hosting the women’s international cricket team for their 2026 tour I think is the biggest stuff-up since Labor’s cancellation of the Commonwealth Games when it comes to tourism to this state,” Mr Mulholland told the chamber.
He argued that cricket sits at the heart of Victoria’s sporting identity and plays a wider role in the state’s engagement with India. “Victoria rightly places enormous emphasis on cricket and the MCG as global assets. Cricket is central to our state’s sporting identity, and it is also the cornerstone of Victoria’s broader Indian strategy, both in terms of soft diplomacy and in attracting Indian tourists, students and business investment,” he said.
Mr Mulholland questioned recent scheduling decisions, pointing to the contrast with other states. “Even Hobart got not one but two back-to-back matches of the women’s international cricket team,” he said. “I understand Melbourne’s MCG and Marvel Stadium had scheduling conflicts due to football, but what about all those regional stadiums and grounds that were meant to be used for the 2026 Commonwealth Games?”
“I understand MCG and Marvel Stadium had scheduling conflicts due to football, but what about all those regional stadiums and grounds that were meant to be used for the 2026 Commonwealth Games?”
He said opportunities had been missed to spread economic benefits across the state. “Matches involving India should have been taken to regional centres, driving tourism, hotel stays and local spending while strengthening international relationships,” he said.
The renewed focus on the issue followed earlier comments by former ministerial adviser Nitin Gupta, published by The Indian Sun in the lead-up to the Indian women’s cricket team’s 2026 tour schedule being confirmed. Nitin had questioned why Victoria had been left out of the itinerary, pointing to the team’s growing popularity and strong support within the state’s Indian Australian community. Melbourne-based community representative Kamini Saberwal had also raised similar concerns earlier, calling for the match to be moved to Victoria and highlighting the strong local interest in women’s international cricket among Indian Australians. Those comments helped elevate the issue beyond community discussion, culminating in the matter being raised in State Parliament this week.
Mr Mulholland said the imbalance between men’s and women’s cricket was stark. “There has been no comparable effort, compared to the men’s teams, to attract the women’s team to Victoria — a massive lost opportunity,” he said. “It is absolutely embarrassing that Hobart gets not one but two games and Victoria gets none. We have missed out.”
He called on the government to take a more active role going forward. “I seek the action of the minister to outline what steps are being taken to ensure women’s international cricket, particularly involving India, is actively pursued, promoted and, where possible, taken into regional Victoria for the benefit of our communities across the state,” he said.
The parliamentary intervention places the issue firmly on the political agenda, reinforcing calls that Victoria should play a visible role when one of the world’s most followed women’s cricket teams tours Australia.
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