IND vs JPN T20I | 'India–Japan is more than a cricket match...': Devajit Saikia

Devajit Saikia (Pic: X/@lonsaikia)

Team India is set to lock horns with Japan on September 22 at the Sano International Cricket Ground. The match is dubbed the Suzuki Cup.

The Japan Cricket Association (JCA) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that the men's teams from each country will play a T20I clash to mark the 75th anniversary of India-Japan diplomatic relations.

Expressing his views ahead of the clash, the incumbent BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said that the sport's journey is shaped by moments that take the game beyond its traditional boundaries.

"Cricket's global journey is being shaped by moments that take the game beyond its traditional boundaries. 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. It is also an opportunity to recognise the vision and groundwork laid by Shri Jay Shah during his tenure as BCCI Secretary, and now as ICC Chairman, in placing the global growth of cricket firmly at the heart of the sport's future," he wrote on his official social media handle.

"From expanding cricket into new territories to building a stronger pathway towards the Olympic movement, the ambition has always been clear: make cricket more accessible, more inclusive and truly global. As BCCI, our responsibility is to build on that foundation and continue taking the game to new countries, new communities and new generations. 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. The journey has begun. And there is much more to come," added Saikia.

The fixture serves as the flagship event launching ‘Sport 75', a broader bilateral initiative originating from a summit agreement between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi designed to foster sporting exchanges and cooperation.

To accommodate the expected surge in fan interest, organisers plan to expand the Sano venue's capacity from its usual 500 spectators to potentially 2,000, with ticket sales expected to launch on official social media channels shortly. The India men's team is coming to Japan to play in the Asian Games men's event from September 24 to October 3.

(With Inputs from ANI)