Sports

Japan Names Asian Games Squad for Historic T20I Against India

By PTI

Japan will field the same squad selected for the Asian Games when they take on India in a historic one-off T20 International on September 22 in Sano, with top run-scorer Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming set to captain the side. The match, to be played under the banner of the Suzuki Cup, will mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Japan. According to the International Cricket Council (ICC), Japan has chosen not to include players who are eligible for T20Is under ICC rules but do not qualify under Asian Games regulations, as part of their preparation for the continental event. Kadowaki-Fleming, 30, has played 55 T20Is, scoring 1,871 runs at a strike rate of 139.41, including two centuries and 12 half-centuries. Other experienced members of the squad include Ibrahim Takahashi and Declan Suzuki-McComb, both of whom have featured in more than 50 T20Is. The 15-player squad also features wicketkeeper Wataru Miyauchi and leg-spinner Makoto Taniyama, Japan's leading wicket-taker, who cites the late Shane Warne as an inspiration. Uncapped spin-bowling all-rounder Jake Kusuda-Nairn has earned a place based on strong domestic performances, alongside medium-pacer Tsuyoshi Takada. The India match forms part of an initiative agreed upon during a summit between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. India, ranked number one in T20Is and the reigning T20 World Cup champions, will face a Japan side currently ranked 41st in the ICC T20 rankings. Ahead of the Asian Games, Japan will play two T20Is against Hong Kong on September 19 and 20. The Asian Games, being held in Aichi-Nagoya, begin on September 19, with the men's cricket competition starting September 24. Japan will play Afghanistan on September 24 and Nepal on September 26, needing a top-two finish in their group to advance to the quarter-finals.