India to play Japan in a historic one-off Men's T20I in Sano
India will play a historic one-off T20I against Japan, marking the first step of Sport 75, an agreement between the two countries to launch the 75th anniversary of India-Japan’s diplomatic relations.
The move also aims to promote cooperation between the two nations, aligning with India’s ambition to host the Olympics and the Paralympics games in 2036. The clash will be played in Sano International Cricket Ground. BCCI secretary, Devajit Saikia, commented on this one-off game between the two sides and its high significance.
Saikia's statement said, “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. 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, and we thank the Japan Cricket Association (JCA) for its efforts in making this fixture possible.”
It further stated, “The BCCI believes that the growth of cricket must extend beyond its traditional territories, and as the world's largest cricket board, we recognise our responsibility to contribute to that growth. The BCCI will work closely with the JCA to further strengthen cricket in Japan and to build on this relationship in the years ahead."
Japan will the be the 20th team against whom India will be playing a T20I. Japan is currently ranked 41st in the men’s T20I rankings and will be hosting the Asian Games in less than two weeks.
JCA CEO Naoki Miyaji said in a statement, “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."
