Sports

India to Play Historic First International Cricket Match Against Japan

By Reuters

India, the reigning T20 World Champions, will face Japan for the first time in an international cricket match, with the fixture scheduled for September 22 at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi, according to a joint announcement by the two nations' cricket boards on Friday.

The T20 International will represent a milestone for Japanese cricket, as it will be the first time the country's men's team competes against a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Japan Cricket Association (JCA) Chief Executive Naoki Miyaji described the match as a significant achievement for the sport in Japan. "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 in a statement.

Japan's cricket program has grown steadily since the country became an ICC Affiliate Member in 1989, later achieving Associate Member status in 2005.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also welcomed the historic fixture. BCCI Honorary Secretary Devajit Saikia said, "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."