India and Japan to play historic T20I cricket match

India and Japan will compete in a historic men’s T20 International cricket match on September 22, 2026, at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture. Dubbed the Suzuki Cup, the fixture marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.

The match serves as the inaugural event for ‘Sport 75’, a bilateral initiative established following a summit between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The program aims to foster sporting cooperation and human exchange, noting India’s interest in hosting the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Japan Cricket Association (JCA) are collaborating on the event to expand cricket’s footprint in East Asia. The Indian squad, led by Shreyas Iyer, will use the match as preparation for the upcoming Asian Games. Organizers plan to increase the Sano venue's capacity to 2,000 spectators to accommodate expected interest.