Sano: India and Japan will meet in men’s T20I cricket for the first time when they face each other in the Suzuki Cup at the Sano International Cricket Ground on Tuesday, September 22.
The one-off match will serve as preparation for both teams ahead of the men’s cricket competition at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya. For India, the fixture could also provide another opportunity for 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to make his mark at international level.
Sooryavanshi was included in India’s squad for the Japan T20I after being left out of the playing XI for all three matches of the recent T20I series against Afghanistan.
Will Vaibhav Sooryavanshi get his chance?
Sooryavanshi’s inclusion in the squad has made his possible debut one of the major talking points ahead of the Japan match.
The teenager impressed on India’s tour of Zimbabwe, where he finished as the Player of the Series, and also made an impact in domestic cricket. However, he remained on the bench throughout the three-match Afghanistan series.
India instead opened with Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma in all three matches. Samson marked his return to the side with two half-centuries, while Abhishek rediscovered his form, including a 30-ball century in the final T20I.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir had explained that India wanted to continue with Samson and Abhishek because of their established record and contribution to the team.
Gambhir says Sooryavanshi will have to wait
Gambhir said Sooryavanshi’s opportunity would come, but stressed that established players who had performed consistently would remain ahead of a newcomer in the selection order.
“From Vaibhav’s point of view, it is again a very clear conversation that he has to wait for his opportunity,” Gambhir said after the Afghanistan series.
The coach also indicated that when Sooryavanshi does get his opportunity, India would look to give him enough matches rather than judging him on a single appearance.
Sooryavanshi’s omission from the Afghanistan XI therefore does not necessarily indicate that he will remain on the sidelines against Japan. With the Asian Games campaign approaching, India could use the one-off fixture to assess players in its wider squad.
The 15-year-old is part of India’s confirmed 14-member squad for the Japan match, according to the current match listing.
India vs Japan: More than just a cricket match
The fixture carries significance for Japanese cricket beyond the result.
India are the reigning T20 world champions, while Japan are continuing to develop the sport in a country where baseball remains far more established. Playing against an Indian side featuring established international players gives Japan’s cricketers an opportunity to experience a higher level of competition.
Japan Cricket Association COO Alan Curr said the match itself represented a significant achievement for Japanese cricket, with India agreeing to travel for the fixture.
The game is also part of “Sport 75”, an initiative linked to celebrations marking 75 years of diplomatic relations between India and Japan.
India vs Japan T20I: When and where?
The historic one-off T20I will be played at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Sano, Tochigi, Japan.
The match is scheduled to begin at 9.30 am IST on Tuesday, September 22, with the venue located around 100 km from Tokyo. The fixture will be India’s first men’s T20I against Japan.
India vs Japan live streaming
Fans in India can watch the match live on FanCode through its app and website. FanCode’s official match page lists the fixture for live streaming from 9.30 am.
The match will also be televised on the Star Sports network in India, according to current broadcast listings.
Rain could affect conditions in Sano
Weather could become a factor at the Sano venue.
Wet conditions are expected around the match period, with the possibility of showers and thunderstorms. While Tuesday morning is expected to be comparatively drier around the scheduled start, rain could leave the outfield soft and affect the pace of the surface.
Any further deterioration in weather conditions could therefore influence the match and team selections.
India squad for Japan T20I
India: Sanju Samson (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Yash Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Washington Sundar, Vipraj Nigam, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
Japan squad for India T20I
Japan: Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming (c), Shirai Patmore (wk), Alester Fleming, Benjamin Ito Davis, Reo Sakurano Thomas, Kohei Kubota, Wataru Miyauchi, Declan Suzuki, Ibrahim Takahashi, Makoto Taniyama, Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake, Tsuyoshi Takada, Charlie Hara-Hinze, Shoma Slater, Jake Kusuda-Nairn.
A significant opportunity for Sooryavanshi
The Japan fixture gives India another chance to assess its squad ahead of the Asian Games, while Sooryavanshi will be hoping that his wait for a senior T20I opportunity finally ends.
His place in the squad is confirmed, but the playing XI will determine whether the teenage batter makes his international debut in Sano.
For Japan, meanwhile, the match represents a major occasion as the team prepares to compete at the Asian Games and continues its efforts to grow cricket’s profile in the country.