On Friday, September 4, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Japan Cricket Association (JCA) announced that the Indian men’s team will take on Japan’s men’s national team in a T20I game to celebrate the 75th anniversary of India-Japan Diplomatic Relations.
The only T20I will be played at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture on Tuesday, 22nd September 2026. According to the BCCI media release, the match will be the first step of “Sport 75”, an initiative that stems from an agreement reached during a summit between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi
Both sides will also compete at the Asian Games 2026. While Japan will feature in the group stages, India is due to appear directly in the quarter-final round. The Shreyas Iyer-led side will see this fixture as an essential warm-up ahead of the Asian Games, where they won a gold medal in the men’s cricket competition four years ago.
BCCI Honorary Secretary, Mr Devajit Saikia, said: “The BCCI is delighted to be part of this historic occasion as the Indian and Japanese men’s teams come together for a special T20 International in Japan. This is a significant moment for cricket, as it takes the Indian team to new territory and provides an opportunity to introduce the sport to a wider audience in Japan and East Asia.
“India and Japan share a strong and longstanding relationship and friendship, and we are pleased that cricket will be part of the celebrations marking 75 years of bilateral relations between the two countries, and we thank the Japan Cricket Association (JCA) for its efforts in making this fixture possible.
“The BCCI believes that the growth of cricket must extend beyond its traditional territories, and as the world’s largest cricket board, we recognise our responsibility to contribute to that growth.
“The BCCI will work closely with the JCA to further strengthen cricket in Japan and to build on this relationship in the years ahead.”
JCA CEO Naoki Miyaji said: “To be able to invite the reigning World Champions to then home of cricket in Japan is a landmark moment for our association. We thank the BCCI for working with us towards this goal and greatly look forward to welcoming the passion of Indian cricket fans, and we actively encourage any local Japanese people curious about cricket to come and cheer on our team in what will be a truly memorable occasion.”
