India will face Japan in a one-off T20 International on September 22 at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture. The fixture will take place just days before the start of the Asian Games 2026 cricket competition, where both teams are set to feature.

The match will be an important opportunity for India to prepare for the multi-sport event, while Japan will get the chance to face the reigning T20 World Cup champions on home soil. The contest will also be the first meeting between the two sides in international cricket.

India set to face Japan before Asian Games campaign

India will enter the fixture as the No. 1-ranked T20I side and the reigning T20 World Cup champions. The team will have already entered Asian Games mode by the time they take on Japan, with India receiving a direct entry into the quarter-finals of the men’s cricket competition. Japan, ranked 41st in the ICC men’s T20I rankings, will begin their Asian Games campaign in the group stage. They are scheduled to face Afghanistan in Nisshin on September 24, two days after the match against India.

The one-off T20I will therefore give both teams an opportunity to fine-tune their preparations ahead of the tournament. India will also get a chance to adapt to local conditions before their quarter-final, while Japan can gain valuable experience against one of the strongest teams in international cricket.

VVS Laxman to coach India for Asian Games

Former India batter VVS Laxman will take charge of the Indian team during the Asian Games period, with regular head coach Gautam Gambhir staying back for India’s three-match ODI series against the West Indies. Laxman previously guided India to the gold medal at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou.

Shreyas Iyer has been named captain of India’s 15-member Asian Games squad, with Tilak Varma appointed his deputy. The squad also includes teenage batter Vaibhav Suryavanshi and pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. India, along with Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, have been seeded for the competition and will enter directly in the quarter-final stage.

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Japan set for first international meeting with India

The fixture will be played under the Suzuki Cup banner and will mark the first time India and Japan have faced each other in international cricket. The match will be held at Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture, which is separate from the venue for the Asian Games cricket competition. For Japan, the contest will provide an opportunity to test themselves against the reigning world champions before their own Asian Games campaign begins.

Japan are placed in Group A alongside Afghanistan and Nepal, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the quarter-finals. The Asian Games men’s cricket competition will feature 10 teams and is scheduled to take place from September 24 to October 3. India are the defending champions after winning the gold medal at the 2023 edition in Hangzhou.

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