The Indian men's cricket team is all set to take on Japan in a T20 International match on September 22 to mark the 75th anniversary of India-Japan diplomatic relations.

The match will be played at Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture in Japan.

This will be the first time that India will be playing in a T20I match against Japan, and it will be a good opportunity for the Indian team to get some practice before the Asian Games 2026, which will be hosted in Aichi-Nagoya.

The Asian Games will be held from September 19 to October 4, and India will be participating in the cricket competition as defending champions.

ALSO READ: ENG vs PAK: Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Rizwan In Hot Water As PCB Investigates England Test Controversy

"The Japan Cricket Association (JCA) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are delighted to announce that the men's teams from each nation will play a T20 International match to launch the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of India-Japan Diplomatic Relations," the BCCI said in a statement.

The fixture will also serve as the first step of 'Sport 75', an initiative aimed at promoting sporting exchanges and cooperation between the two nations.

"The match will be the first step of 'Sport 75', an initiative that stems from an agreement reached during a summit between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and aims to promote human exchanges and cooperation between India and Japan in the field of sports, taking note of India's ambition to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2036," the statement added.

Shreyas Iyer To Lead India Against Japan

Shreyas Iyer will be at the helm for the Indian squad, with Tilak Varma assuming the duty of vice-captain. Some other notable names included in the squad are Sanju Samson, as well as the rising star of teenage cricket Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

The fixture in Japan comes at a crucial juncture in India’s preparations for the Asian Games. Since the match takes place just three days before the commencement of the Games, the Indian squad will be able to finalize its combinations, giving them adequate experience leading to their cricket campaign.

India is the defending Asian Games champion, having won gold in the previous edition of the Games held in Hangzhou this year. The final match versus Afghanistan was washed out, and India was declared the champion due to their T20I ranking.

The Indian team has been directly seeded into the quarterfinal of the Asian Games and will commence its campaign on September 28.

BCCI Keen To Take Cricket Beyond Traditional Strongholds

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia described the Japan fixture as a landmark occasion for Indian cricket and said it could help expand the sport's reach in Japan and East Asia.

"The BCCI is delighted to be part of this historic occasion as the Indian and Japanese men's teams come together for a special T20 International in Japan. 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," Saikia said.

He also highlighted the strong relationship between India and Japan and thanked the JCA for helping make the fixture possible.

"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," he added.

Saikia further stressed that the growth of cricket should not remain limited to its traditional markets.

"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."

ALSO READ: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Backed To Follow Sachin Tendulkar’s Path As BCCI Reveals Future Plan

Japan Cricket Association Welcomes India

Japan Cricket Association CEO Naoki Miyaji also expressed his excitement at welcoming the Indian team and described the fixture as a landmark moment for Japanese cricket.

"To be able to invite the reigning world champions to the home of cricket in Japan is a landmark moment for our association," Miyaji said.

"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."

With Agency Inputs