India’s historic one-off T20 International against Japan faces the threat of disruption from a typhoon as the two teams prepare to meet at the Sano International Cricket Ground on Tuesday. The fixture has been arranged ahead of India’s men’s cricket campaign at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya. It is also part of events marking 75 years of diplomatic relations between India and Japan.
India enter the contest as the reigning T20 World Cup champions, while Japan are ranked 41st in the format. Although the difference in experience makes India overwhelming favourites, the match carries significance beyond the expected result. For Japan’s cricketers, the fixture provides a rare opportunity to compete against some of the world’s leading players. It could also increase the visibility of cricket in a country where baseball remains the dominant bat-and-ball sport.
Unfavourable weather linked to a typhoon threatens the landmark match. Even if conditions prevent play, the fixture has already generated interest among Japanese media, local supporters and the country’s emerging cricket community.
Japanese Cricket Association COO Alan Curr said India’s decision to visit had already helped draw attention to the sport. He noted that years of work behind the scenes were finally making Japanese cricket more visible.
The Sano International Cricket Ground is approximately 100 kilometres from Tokyo, where the Indian team arrived on Sunday. The venue has a regular capacity of about 2,000 spectators, although a larger crowd is expected for the match. The ground is also used for baseball.
Unlike some emerging cricket nations, Japan has focused on developing native players rather than relying mainly on the South Asian diaspora. Captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming, Japan’s leading T20 run-scorer, said his team would aim to demonstrate its ability rather than simply celebrate the occasion. Japan has selected players who meet both ICC eligibility regulations and the separate rules governing participation at the Asian Games.
Shreyas Iyer will captain India, while Sanju Samson is expected to keep wickets. The squad also includes Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Ravi Bishnoi.
Attention will also be on 15-year-old batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the youngest member of India’s 501-strong Asian Games contingent. The match could offer him valuable international exposure before the continental tournament.
India will begin their Asian Games campaign directly from the quarterfinal stage on September 28 against an opponent yet to be confirmed. The Japan fixture is expected to help the players adjust to local conditions and prepare for the knockout format.
Japan squad: Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming (captain), Charlie Hara-Hinze, Benjamin Ito-Davis, Alester Kadowaki-Fleming, Kohei Kubota, Jake Kusuda-Nairn, Wataru Miyauchi, Reo Sakurano-Thomas, Alex Shirai-Patmore, Shoma Sugaya-Slater, Declan Suzuki-McComb, Tsuyoshi Takada, Ibrahim Takahashi, Makoto Taniyama and Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake. India squad: Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Shreyas Iyer (captain), Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Yash Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Washington Sundar, Vipraj Nigam and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
