By Manoj 
India are slated to go head-to-head with Japan for the first time ever in men’s T20 International cricket this September 22 in what will be a historic one-off fixture between the two nations atop international cricket. It will be played at the Sano International Cricket Ground, Japan and the match will also serve as a felicitation event towards celebrating 75 years of diplomatic ties between India and Japan.
India and Japan are set to face each other for the first time ever in a men’s T20I, with their contest being played in the Suzuki Cup. It is likely to generate a lot of buzz in Japan and provide Indian cricket the chance to penetrate a new market in East Asia.
The match is held as part of Sport 75, an initiative to enhance the sporting ties between India and Japan. The initiative was born out of talks between both countries’ leadership and is meant to foster deeper collaboration through sport.
It is also an opportunity for India to develop and promote cricket beyond its traditional territories. Cricket will also have to wait a while before going professional in Japan and it will be an even longer time before we see world class players representing the country, but the BCCI says there is a commitment to work with the Japan Cricket Association (JCA) as cricket continues to pursue opportunities within Japanese society.
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia said the fixture is a momentous occasion for cricket in India. He underlined the importance of having the game feature wherever it can to take the Indian team to a different place in addition to making this match work as part of a bigger picture where cricket has wider audiences amongst Japanese and East Asian people.
This match in Japan will also mark a new T20I opponent for India. Japan will become the 20th unique opponent India have faced in a men’s T20I.
Japan are currently ranked 41st in men’s T20I rankings. It won’t just be significantly important for Japanese cricket as the team will get to take on the world champions in their own backyard.
The match will take place at the Sano International Cricket Ground, Tochigi Prefecture.) But the ground isn’t the same venue that will host cricket events at next month’s Asian Games. All of those matches will be held early in the morning at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin.
The Japan Cricket Association regards the fixture as a significant step in the future of their cricket programme. Japan Cricket Associate (JCA) chief executive Naoki Miyaji welcomed the chance to showcase India, saying: “It is great news for us and we would like many Japanese sports fans to join.”
Hence, the fixture on September 22nd is more than just a matter of laying down results on the scoreboard. It meshes international cricket, sporting cooperation and 75 years of post-war India-Japan diplomatic ties.
It will offer India yet another chance to take cricket globally. Having a top cricketing team in Japan would give local fans exposure and hopefully build more interest domestically.
The India-Japan T20I should give an extra push to cricket’s presence in the land of the rising sun, where the Asian Games are also being held later this month.
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