India will face Japan in a historic one-off T20I at the Sano International Cricket Ground on September 22, with Sri Lanka Cricket assisting with the pitch preparations. Experienced groundsmen and specialised clay have been brought in to help prepare an international-standard surface.
Japan will play its first bilateral match against a full ICC member nation. Shreyas Iyer will lead India against Japan in a match celebrating 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Japan will also host both the men’s and women’s cricket events at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi Prefecture.
Japan Cricket Association Gains Government and Corporate Support
The India-Japan T20I has received strong backing from governments and major companies. JCA CEO Naoki Alex Miyaji explained that the 75th anniversary celebrations helped turn the fixture into a wider India-Japan collaboration.
“Suddenly, this wasn’t just us wanting to attract a full member to inspire a new audience — it became a key event in the 75th anniversary celebration of friendship between the two countries. We were suddenly able to get the support of both governments in talking to our Indian counterparts,” Miyaji told The Indian Express.
The JCA is investing around 100 million yen in the match from an annual operating budget of approximately 200-300 million yen. Suzuki has come on board as the title sponsor, while MUFG, State Bank of India and TCS are also supporting the event.
“The BCCI has supported this event. But more than the money, it is about bringing new audiences, giving everyone an opportunity to see the impact a match can have, and also showcase what the Japan team can do,” Miyaji said.
Sri Lanka Cricket Helps Prepare Sano and Asian Games Pitches
The Sano International Cricket Ground, located around 100 kilometres from Tokyo, can now accommodate 2,000 spectators, up from its earlier capacity of 500. Tickets also sold quickly, with demand arriving even before the JCA could send promotional emails.
The JCA also sought help from Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to ensure the pitch meets international standards. SLC sent experienced groundsmen and specialised clay to prepare pitches at both Sano and the venue in Nisshin City, Aichi Prefecture, which will host cricket matches at the 2026 Asian Games.
“We were going to re-lay the Sano International Cricket Ground anyway, but we brought that plan forward and decided to lay pitches in Aichi at the same time. Same clay, same pitches, so teams at the Asian Games can train in Sano too,” Miyaji said.
The India fixture will give Japan valuable exposure before the Asian Games, where the country will compete in both the men’s and women’s cricket events as hosts. Japan’s men’s team also came close to qualifying for the 2026 T20 World Cup earlier this year.
Japan Targets Grassroots Growth Through Schools and Baseball
The JCA is also working to expand cricket beyond Sano, which remains the country’s main cricket hub. Its City of Cricket programme has expanded to Watari, Kaizuka, Nisshin and Hamamatsu, with the association introducing the sport in some schools.
Chennai-born Japan all-rounder Sabaorish Ravichandran has seen the growth of the game during his decade in the country. He said domestic players often balance cricket with full-time jobs but still travel long distances to play at weekends.
“In Japan, everyone has a day job. Nobody gets paid to play. But on the weekends, you will see hundreds heading to Sano to play cricket. There are a couple of them who even take the bullet train to travel to play,” Ravichandran said.
Kadowaki-Fleming wants cricket to become a genuine option for young baseball players and believes Japan could eventually produce a homegrown star who crosses over from the country’s most popular bat-and-ball sport.
“We’ve been developing the Japan way. We do want to be distinctly Japanese in the way that we do things in cricket, on and off the field,” Kadowaki-Fleming said.
“I want cricket to be a genuine option for baseball players in schools. Once that happens, cricket will have its own Shohei Ohtani in a few years,” he added.
