India, Japan to Play First Men’s T20I

Key facts

• The Indian and Japanese men's cricket teams will play each other for the first time ever on September 22 ahead of the 2026 Asian Games at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture.
• The historic fixture will kickstart the 'Sports 75' initiative agreed upon between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
• The match will start at 1:00 PM local time (9:30 AM IST) and will be known as the Suzuki Cup and sponsored by the 'SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION'.
• The Japanese Cricket Association (JCA) has revealed that the venue will be transformed for this match to allow up to 2,000, up from the usual 500 capacity.
• The fixture will also launch the celebration of 75 years of India and Japan's diplomatic relations.
• The match will also be the first-ever match that the Indian men's team will play on Japanese soil and serve as ideal preparation for their first outing in the continental event.
• The Shreyas Iyer-led side have got a bye to the quarter-finals (alongside Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh) and will play their first game on September 28 against the runner-ups of Group (Afghanistan, Japan, and Nepal).
• The Japan men's team will play a Test-playing nation in an international fixture for the first time when they play India.