New Delhi, Sept 4 (V7N) – India and Japan will face off this month in their first-ever Twenty20 men's international cricket match, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced Friday, as the two nations celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations .
The one-off 'Suzuki Cup' will be held at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture on September 22 . The match will launch 'Sport 75', an initiative stemming from an agreement between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aiming to promote human exchanges and sports cooperation—also supporting India's bid to host the 2036 Olympics .
BCCI Honorary Secretary Devajit Saikia called it "a significant moment for cricket," taking reigning world champions India to "new territory" and introducing the sport to a wider audience in Japan and East Asia .
Japan Cricket Association CEO Naoki Miyaji said, "To be able to invite the reigning World Champions to the home of cricket in Japan is a landmark moment for our association," adding he hopes local Japanese curious about cricket will come and cheer .
Japan, ranked 41st in the world, will play a Test-playing nation for the first time . The match also serves as preparation for both teams ahead of the Asian Games in Nagoya, with India entering the quarter-finals on September 28 and Japan starting its campaign on September 24 .
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