India, Japan to play T20I in Japan to mark 75 years of diplomatic ties

New Delhi: India and Japan will mark 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries with a historic men’s T20 International in Japan on September 22, with the fixture also serving as the launch event for the “Sport 75” initiative aimed at strengthening sporting ties between the two nations.

The Suzuki Cup will be played at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture and will see the Indian men’s team take on Japan for the first time in a T20 International on Japanese soil.

The match is the first event under “Sport 75”, an initiative aimed at promoting people-to-people exchanges and cooperation between India and Japan through sport. The initiative follows an agreement reached during a summit between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and also takes into account India’s ambition to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2036.

BCCI honorary secretary Devajit Saikia said the fixture represented a significant moment for cricket, with the Indian team taking the sport into new territory and providing an opportunity to introduce it to a wider audience in Japan and East Asia.

“India and Japan share a strong and longstanding relationship and friendship, and we are pleased that cricket will be part of the celebrations marking 75 years of bilateral relations between the two countries,” Saikia said, while thanking the Japan Cricket Association (JCA) for making the fixture possible.

Saikia added that the BCCI was committed to expanding cricket beyond its traditional territories and would work with the JCA to strengthen the sport in Japan in the years ahead.

JCA CEO Naoki Miyaji described the occasion as a landmark for Japanese cricket, saying it was a major opportunity to welcome the reigning world champions to the home of cricket in Japan.

The JCA also urged local residents curious about the sport to attend the match and support the Japanese team, calling it an occasion that could leave a lasting impact on the growth of cricket in the country.

Tags : Japan, Cricket, India, diplomatic, Sano, Suzuki Cup