BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has described India’s historic one-off T20 International against Japan as a significant step in cricket’s push to expand beyond its traditional boundaries and reach new audiences.
India and Japan will face each other for the first time in a T20I on September 22 at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture. The match, to be played under the banner of the Suzuki Cup, comes ahead of the men’s cricket competition at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, which begins on September 19.
The fixture will also commemorate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Japan.
CRICKET’S GLOBAL PUSH
Saikia said the India-Japan match reflected the wider ambition of taking cricket to newer territories and strengthening its presence in regions with significant potential.
In a post on X, the BCCI secretary said international cricket’s global journey was being shaped by events that take the sport beyond its established markets.
“The India-Japan T20I match on 22nd September, ’26 is one such moment taking international cricket to Japan, connecting with a new audience and strengthening the game’s presence in a region with immense potential,” Saikia said.
He also credited ICC chairman Jay Shah for his efforts to expand cricket’s global footprint, saying the vision had remained focused on making the sport more accessible, inclusive and truly global.
Saikia added that the BCCI remained committed to contributing to cricket’s growth internationally.
“India-Japan is more than a cricket match. It represents the direction in which our sport is moving from a global ambition to a global reality,” he said.
ASIAN GAMES PREPARATION
The one-off T20I will also serve as valuable preparation for India ahead of the Asian Gamesallowing the team to get accustomed to conditions in Japan and fine-tune their combinations before the tournament.
India, ranked No. 1 in the ICC T20 rankings and the reigning T20 World Cup champions, will enter the Asian Games as one of the favourites. Japan are currently placed 41st in the T20 rankings.
Seeded directly into the knockout stage, India will begin their campaign in the quarterfinals on September 28.
The Indian squad will be led by Shreyas Iyer, with Tilak Varma serving as vice-captain. Sanju Samson and teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi are also among the key names in the squad.
The match against Japan, therefore, offers India both a historic occasion and a practical opportunity to prepare for their Asian Games campaign while helping take cricket into a relatively untapped market.
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