In Pics: Tony Abott hosts dinner for Narendra Modi at MCG

New Delhi: Cricket diplomacy was in abundance at a rare reception given to Narendra Modi at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground with the Prime Minister saying a “new journey” in India-Australia relationship has begun.Addressing the select gathering at the reception hosted by Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and attended by cricket greats like Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Allan Border and Dean Jones among others, Modi heaped effusive praise on Australia's sporting culture and thanked his Australian counterpart his “truly generous hospitality”.Modi described his speech at the 161-year-old MCG ground “close to scoring a century here especially against McGrath and Brett Lee” and said, “This memory will stay with me forever.” “Many Indians wake up early on a cold December morning to watch on TV a Boxing Day Test at this magnificent stadium! I know that India has not done particularly well in this ground! But, we won the 1985 Champions Trophy here. And, Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev are here!“As is VVS Laxman, who especially loved to bat against Australia. To speak to you at this historic ground comes close to scoring a century here especially against McGrath and Brett Lee. I met him yesterday. The best I managed was to head the Gujarat Cricket Association,” Narendra Modi said. Talking about the MCG, Modi said it would be a deserving venue for the Cricket World Cup finals 2015 and hope that India and Australia will play that match. “No business is serious enough to keep an Australian and an Indian from discussing this great game,” Modi said. Before the dinner by Abbott, Modi presented “Skippers” memento carrying replica of Mahatma Gandhi's charkha with three cricket balls signed by him and World Cup winning Indian captains Kapil Dev and M S Dhoni.He said, “My memorable visit to Australia ends tonight, but a new journey of our relationship has begun.” The Prime Minister also noted that people asked him that isn't it too soon for him to visit Australia after Abbott's recent trip to India “I said I can't say no to my friend Tony”.Modi also thanked Abbott for travelling all the way to Melbourne to attend the reception.Modi felt India can learn from Australia's famous sporting skills in other areas too and said both the countries have decided to collaborate on a Sports University in India. “A successful India will be a vast opportunity and a force of good for the world,” he said, adding “My memorable visit to Australia ends tonight, but a new journey of our relationship has begun.” Modi said he wants to “build a future, when every Indian, can say, yes, my life has improved and my environment has become better.“I am confident that we will achieve it with the support of the people of India, and through the talent and energy of 800 million youth, below the age of 35. A generation that is eager for change and committed to work for it,” he added. The Prime Minister referred to various initiatives by his government in infrastructure development and said the aim was to improve quality of life in cities and villages alike. “India is experiencing urbanisation at a rapid pace. Studies suggest that by 2031, 11 per cent of the world's urban population might be in Indian cities.“We already have over 50 cities which have a population of more than 1 million. Urbanisation can be an enormous opportunity. In India, we have yet to build much of our urban infrastructure for the future.“Our plans include 100 smart cities; revival of heritage cities; building modern solid waste management and waste water treatment systems in 500 cities; and, cleaning up our rivers,” he said.He said, “This is part of our larger vision of a sustainable future for our country, and transforming the quality of life of our people. In cities and villages alike.” Noting the India was looking forward to closer partnership with “friends” like Australia, Modi said a lot was achieved in the last few days.“I have also met the political leadership, business leaders and the vibrant Indian community. One thing we all agree on. The bonds between the countries are made strong by joined hands of our people.“So, our exchanges in sports, tourism, education and culture are great source of strength for our relationship. “As I see the warmth and friendship for India today and over the last five days. I feel great confidence in the future of our relationship,” he said. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Tony Abott today posed for photograph with 2015 Cricket World Cup Trophy.Cricket legends like Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Shane Warne and VVS Laxman were also present at Melbourne Cricket Ground on this occasion.Earlier, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was given a warm welcome by Australian Prime Minister Tony Abott at the MCG.Addressing the select gathering at the reception, Narendra Modi said that he is confident that the Indo-Australian relations will prosper in the future.“My memorable visit ends tonight but journey of our relationship has begun,” said Narendra Modi. “Modi has ‘runs on the board' to meet the aspirations of the people,” Abott had earlier said while addressing a joint press conference with Indian PM.Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbot Tuesday used a cricketing expression to describe Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's working style.Addressing the media, he referred to the Bharatiya Janata Party's strong majority in parliament, saying "Modi has the runs on the ball for getting the bureaucracy working" to get any job done.He said both countries were increasingly cooperating in security and military affairs and there was potential to increase economic cooperation.“Narendra and I.” Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said this at a joint press conference with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi after summit talks, while stressing how the two countries were expanding their cooperation in various areas.The personal warmth Abbott shared with Modi was reflected yet again at a reception at the iconic 161-year-old Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) where he said Modi is like a “brother.”“Narendra and I,” said Abbott on couple of occasions while referring to the determination of the two leaders to work together to help strengthening of relations.Abbott had urged world leaders to speak from the heart rather than a script at the summit of the Group of 20 industrialised and major emerging economies at Brisbane.“If we could use first names, that would be good as well because, whatever disagreements we might have, it helps if there can at least be personal warmth amongst us,” he said. When Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Australia in 28 years after Rajiv Gandhi in 1986, made his entry at the G20 Summit venue, he gave Abbott a hearty hug.Before Modi began his address to lawmakers on Tuesday, Abbott said he was determined to correct the situation where no Indian Prime Minister had addressed the Australian parliament.He said leaders of several countries have addressed the Parliament but no Indian leader has done it.“I am personally delighted that this has been been corrected,” Abbott said.The two leaders had several meetings — both formally and informally — during the East Asia Summit and at the G20 Summit.“My memorable visit to Australia ends today. A new relationship has begun,” Modi said while speaking at the MCG.At the end of his four—city Australia tour, Modi gifted a memento to Australia signed by World Cup winning Indian captains and himself.