‘There is much more to come’: BCCI secretary on historic India-Japan T20I match

BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia described the upcoming T20 International between India and Japan as a significant moment in cricket’s journey towards becoming a truly global sport. Speaking on September 7, 2026, he said the fixture, scheduled for September 22 at Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture, would connect the game with a new audience in a region that holds immense potential for growth.

The match carries the Suzuki Cup branding and marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between India and Japan. It also forms part of ‘Sport 75’, a bilateral initiative designed to deepen people-to-people exchanges and cooperation through sport.

“Cricket’s global journey is being shaped by moments that take the game beyond its traditional boundaries. The India–Japan T20I match on 22nd September,’26 is one such moment taking international cricket to Japan, connecting with a new audience and strengthening the game’s presence in a region with immense potential,” Saikia said via a post on his official social media handle.

Why does this fixture carry significance beyond the result?

Saikia was clear that the contest represents far more than a standalone cricket match. He credited ICC Chairman Jay Shah for the sustained effort to take cricket into newer territories, noting that this ambition has been a consistent thread running through Shah’s time as BCCI Secretary and now in his current role at the ICC. He then summarised the broader direction of the sport with a pointed statement.

“It is also an opportunity to recognise the vision and groundwork laid by Jay Shah during his tenure as BCCI Secretary and now as ICC Chairman in placing the global growth of cricket firmly at the heart of the sport’s future. From expanding cricket into new territories to building a stronger pathway towards the Olympic movement, the ambition has always been clear: make cricket more accessible, more inclusive and truly global,” Saikia added.

“India-Japan is more than a cricket match. It represents the direction in which our sport is moving from a global ambition to a global reality,” he further elaborated.

What does the match mean for India’s Asian Games campaign?

The September 22 fixture also serves a clear competitive purpose for the Indian side. Facing Japanese conditions for the first time, the squad will use the match to build momentum, settle combinations and prepare for the Asian Games men’s cricket competition, which gets underway in Aichi-Nagoya from September 19, 2026.

India, ranked No. 1 in T20 Internationals and the reigning T20 World Cup champions, enter the Asian Games directly at the quarterfinal stage, with their first knockout fixture set for September 28. Japan, ranked 41st in the ICC T20 standings, will be facing India at this level for the very first time, making the encounter historic for both nations.

The touring squad is captained by Shreyas Iyer, with Tilak Varma named as vice-captain. Sanju Samson and teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi are among the prominent names selected.

“The journey has begun. And there is much more to come,” Saikia concluded his remarks with a message that captured the scale of the ambition.