Last Updated on 18 seconds ago by Charbel Coorey
India and Japan are all set to share the cricket field for the first time in international cricket as the two men’s teams will play a one-off T20I in Japan on September 22. The match will be held at Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture and will be part of the celebrations for the completion of 75 years of diplomatic relations between India and Japan.
The fixture was confirmed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India on Friday, which said it was a big moment for the sport as India prepares to introduce cricket to a new country and audience. The match will also give Japan a chance to host the reigning world champions in front of a home crowd.
The India vs Japan match has been linked to the proposed expansion of sporting links between the two countries. The match has been included as the first step of the “Sport 75” initiative, with India eyeing hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2036. The initiative is to promote more human interaction and cooperation through sport between India and Japan.
This effort follows an agreement reached at a summit between Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and India’s Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. Cricket will thus be part of the wider celebrations of the long-standing relationship between the two countries through this special T20I.
BCCI, Japan Cricket Association, welcomes historic fixture
The Indian board was pleased to be part of an event that would take the Indian team to a new destination, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said in a media briefing. He also stressed the significance of the match as an opportunity to expand the reach of cricket in Japan and other parts of East Asia.
“The BCCI is delighted to be a part of this historic occasion when the men’s Indian and Japanese teams come together for a special T20 International in Japan. This is a major moment for the game of cricket, taking the Indian team into uncharted territory and giving the sport the chance to reach new fans in Japan and East Asia.
“India and Japan have a strong and long-standing relationship and friendship and we are pleased that cricket will be part of the celebrations to mark 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.
“The BCCI feels the game should not be confined within its traditional territories, and as the biggest cricket board in the world we feel our responsibility to contribute to that growth. The BCCI will work closely with the JCA to further strengthen cricket in Japan and build on this relationship in the years to come,” he said.
The Japan Cricket Association is also excited about the occasion, with CEO Naoki Miyaji calling the match a major moment for the sport in the country. Hosting India should help bring more focus on the sport among Japanese fans as well as give the national team a chance to play against one of the leading sides in world cricket.
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