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India and Japan Set Historic T20I for Diplomatic Anniversary
India and Japan are going to play a special cricket match.
It will be a short-format game called a T20 International.
The match will happen in Japan on September 22, 2026.
It is called the Suzuki Cup.
The game will celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
It will also begin a program called Sport 75, which uses sports to bring people together.
India’s cricket board hopes the match will help more people in Japan learn about cricket.
Japan’s cricket association hopes local fans will come and support its team.
India and Japan will play a men’s T20 International on September 22, 2026.
The Suzuki Cup will be held at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan.
The match will mark 75 years of diplomatic relations between India and Japan.
The fixture will launch “Sport 75,” an initiative promoting exchanges and sports cooperation between the countries.
The BCCI and Japan Cricket Association say the match will help expand cricket’s reach in Japan and East Asia.
- Who
- The men’s cricket teams of India and Japan, with the match organized by the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the Japan Cricket Association.
- What
- A one-match T20 International called the Suzuki Cup.
- Where
- Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan.
- When
- September 22, 2026; the match is scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m. IST.
- Why
- To mark 75 years of India-Japan diplomatic relations and launch the Sport 75 initiative promoting people-to-people exchanges and sports cooperation.
Key facts
- Match
- India vs Japan men’s T20 International
- Event name
- Suzuki Cup
- Date
- September 22, 2026
- Venue
- Sano International Cricket Ground, Tochigi Prefecture
- Start time
- 9:30 a.m. IST
- Diplomatic milestone
- 75 years of India-Japan diplomatic relations
- Wider initiative
- Sport 75, focused on exchanges and cooperation through sport
Quotes
Devajit Saikia
Honorary Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India
“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,”
news18.com
telegraphindia.com
“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,”
news18.com
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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