Sano, Japan: India and Japan are set to meet in a historic one-off T20 International on Tuesday, September 22, but the much-anticipated contest faces a weather concern as rain linked to Typhoon Dujuan has disrupted preparations in Sano.

The match at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi is scheduled to begin at 9:30 am IST. It will be the first men’s international cricket match between India and Japan and is being played under the Suzuki Cup banner as part of events marking 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The game also serves as India’s final preparation match before the men’s cricket competition at the 2026 Asian Games. India are scheduled to enter the Asian Games at the quarter-final stage on September 28.

Typhoon rain puts Sano match under watch

Weather has become the biggest talking point ahead of the historic fixture.

Heavy rainfall associated with Typhoon Dujuan affected Sano and forced India’s scheduled training session on Monday to be called off. The wet conditions have also raised concerns about the state of the Sano International Cricket Ground.

The venue has already experienced disruption because of the weather. Japan’s T20I against Hong Kong, China on September 20 was abandoned without a toss after rain affected the ground.

While forecasts indicated an improvement in conditions by Tuesday morning, further showers remained possible during the afternoon. The condition of the outfield could therefore be as important as the weather at the scheduled start of play.

There has been no official announcement that the India-Japan match has been called off.

Historic first meeting between India and Japan

The match carries significance beyond India’s preparations for the Asian Games.

India and Japan have never previously played a men’s international cricket match against each other. Japan’s participation against the reigning T20 World Cup champions therefore represents a major occasion for the country’s cricket programme.

The fixture is also part of the Sport 75 programme associated with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Japan.

Japan will be led by Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming, the country’s leading T20I run-scorer. The squad also includes experienced players such as Ibrahim Takahashi and Declan Suzuki.

For Japan, the match provides an opportunity to face a major international side shortly before beginning its Asian Games campaign.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in focus

For India, one of the major selection questions is whether 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will be included in the playing XI.

Sooryavanshi was part of India’s squad for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan but did not feature in any of the games. India instead retained Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma as the opening combination during the series.

The teenager had earlier impressed on India’s tour of Zimbabwe, where he finished as the team’s leading run-scorer. He has also attracted considerable attention following his performances in domestic and franchise cricket.

India’s coaching staff had previously indicated that Sooryavanshi would get his opportunity, while stressing that the selection process would continue to be based on team requirements and performances.

The Japan fixture provides another opportunity for the team management to assess its options before the Asian Games.

Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson have been in form

The possible inclusion of Sooryavanshi comes after strong performances from India’s established opening pair.

Sanju Samson made an impact during the Afghanistan series after returning to the T20I side, scoring two half-centuries.

Abhishek Sharma also returned to form in emphatic fashion. He scored 82 from 32 balls in the first T20I against Afghanistan and then smashed a century from just 30 balls in the third match. His century became the fastest T20I hundred by an Indian batter.

The performances have created an interesting selection situation for the India team ahead of the Asian Games.

The Japan match could therefore be used to manage workloads while also giving opportunities to players who have not featured regularly.

Shreyas Iyer leads India

Shreyas Iyer has been named India’s captain for the Japan T20I.

The squad includes Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Yash Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Vipraj Nigam and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

VVS Laxman has taken charge of the Indian side for the Japan match, according to the NDTV report. The team is scheduled to move into its Asian Games campaign after this fixture.

Varun Chakaravarthy is unavailable for the Japan match and the Asian Games after being ruled out with a side strain. Vipraj Nigam has replaced him in the squad.

Japan prepares for Asian Games

Japan’s squad for the India match is also the group selected for its Asian Games campaign.

Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming will captain the hosts, with players including Shirai Patmore, Alester Fleming, Benjamin Ito Davis, Reo Sakurano Thomas, Kohei Kubota, Wataru Miyauchi, Declan Suzuki, Ibrahim Takahashi and Makoto Taniyama.

The Asian Games men’s cricket competition begins shortly after the India-Japan fixture, making the match an important preparation opportunity for both sides.

For Japan, the occasion is particularly significant because of the opportunity to test its players against one of the world’s leading cricket teams.

Match timing and venue

The India-Japan T20I will be played at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture.

The match is scheduled to start at 9:30 am IST, or 1 pm local time in Japan. It will be streamed live on FanCode and broadcast on the Star Sports network, according to published match information.

However, the final start will depend on the condition of the playing surface and the weather at the venue.

Weather could determine the historic contest

India’s inability to train on Monday and the earlier abandonment at the same ground have added uncertainty to the fixture.

The latest forecasts indicated that the worst of the weather could move away before the scheduled start, although showers and thunderstorms remained possible later in the day. A saturated outfield could still result in a delayed start or interruptions even if rain eases.

For a match carrying historical significance for both countries, the weather is therefore an important factor to monitor.

If conditions permit, India and Japan will make history when they step onto the field for their first men’s international cricket meeting. For India, the contest offers preparation and selection opportunities ahead of the Asian Games, while Japan will get a chance to test itself against the reigning T20 World Cup champions on home soil.