India and Japan to play historic T20I cricket match in September 2026

India and Japan will play their first-ever men’s T20 International on September 22, 2026, at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture. Titled the Suzuki Cup, the match serves as the inaugural event for ‘Sport 75’, a bilateral initiative celebrating the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.

Japan has announced a 15-member squad led by Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming, featuring players selected to also compete in the upcoming 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya. The match also functions as a warm-up for the Asian Games cricket tournament, which begins shortly after the T20I.

Broadcasting rights for the match in India have been secured by Star Sports Network for television and FanCode for digital streaming. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has described the fixture as a significant step toward making cricket a truly global sport, connecting with new audiences in the region.