To mark the 75th anniversary of India-Japan Diplomatic Relations, the men’s cricket teams of India and Japan will face each other in a historic one-off T20I, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced on Friday.
The match will be played on September 22 at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. It will be the first-ever international cricket match between the men’s teams of the two countries.
The fixture will also be the first step towards “Sport 75”, an initiative aimed at promoting people-to-people exchanges and cooperation between India and Japan through sport. The initiative follows an agreement reached during a summit between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The contest also takes into account India’s ambition to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2036. The BCCI said the fixture will help promote cricket in Japan and contribute to the wider growth of the sport in East Asia.
Speaking about the historic fixture, BCCI secretary 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.”
Japan Cricket Association CEO Naoki Miyaji also welcomed the development and described the match as a landmark moment for Japanese cricket.
“To be able to invite the reigning World Champions to the 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.”
The historic fixture will give Indian cricket a chance to expand its presence in a new territory while providing Japanese cricket with an opportunity to host the reigning world champions on home soil.
