Japan have announced their 15-member squad for the historic one-off T20 International against India, with Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming named captain for the September 22 clash at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture.
The match will be played under the Suzuki Cup banner and will commemorate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Japan. It will also launch the “Sport 75” initiative aimed at strengthening sporting and people-to-people ties between the two countries.
Kadowaki-Fleming Leads Japan
Kadowaki-Fleming, Japan's leading run-scorer in men's T20 internationals, will lead the side against the reigning T20 World Cup champions and world's No. 1-ranked team, India.
The 30-year-old has made 55 T20I appearances and scored 1,871 runs at a strike rate of 139.41, according to ICC-linked reports.
His leadership and experience will be central to Japan's challenge against an Indian side that enters the contest as the overwhelming favourite.
15-Member Squad Announced
Japan have retained essentially the same group selected for their 2026 Asian Games campaign, which begins in Nagoya two days after the India match.
The squad includes experienced players such as Ibrahim Takahashi and Declan Suzuki-McComb, both of whom have made more than 50 T20I appearances for Japan.
Japan Squad
- Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming (captain)
- Charlie Hara-Hinze
- Benjamin Ito-Davis
- Alester Kadowaki-Fleming
- Kohei Kubota
- Jake Kusuda-Nairn
- Wataru Miyauchi (wicketkeeper)
- Reo Sakurano-Thomas
- Alex Shirai-Patmore (wicketkeeper)
- Shoma Sugaya-Slater
- Declan Suzuki-McComb
- Tsuyoshi Takada
- Ibrahim Takahashi
- Makoto Taniyama
- Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake
Historic India-Japan Clash
The September 22 encounter will be a landmark fixture for Japanese cricket as it represents the first men's international meeting between India and Japan.
The match will be held at the Sano International Cricket Ground, which is also listed by the Japan Cricket Association as Japan's next international fixture.
India enter the contest as the reigning T20 World Cup champions, while Japan are ranked 41st in the ICC men's T20I rankings.
Suzuki Cup Marks 75 Years
The fixture has been organised as part of celebrations marking 75 years of India-Japan diplomatic relations.
The Japan Cricket Association and BCCI have described the match as the first step of Sport 75, an initiative that grew out of discussions between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
The programme seeks to promote sports exchanges and cooperation between India and Japan, while also supporting India's ambition to host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Asian Games Preparation
The timing of the match is significant for Japan because the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games cricket competition begins on September 24, just two days after the India fixture.
Japan have therefore selected a squad that will also represent the country at the Asian Games. The team has avoided players who are eligible for T20 internationals under ICC rules but do not meet Asian Games eligibility requirements.
The India match will consequently provide valuable preparation against one of the strongest teams in international T20 cricket.
New Players Get Opportunity
The squad also provides opportunities to emerging Japanese cricketers.
Jake Kusuda-Nairn, an emerging spin-bowling all-rounder who has impressed in domestic cricket, has earned his place in the squad. Veteran Tsuyoshi Takada has also returned after first appearing for Japan in the 2013 ICC East Asia-Pacific Twenty20 Championship.
The squad also includes players who have developed through Japan's school-based cricket programmes, reflecting the sport's gradual growth at the grassroots level.
India Match a Major Milestone
For Japan, facing India represents one of the biggest fixtures in the country's cricketing history.
The match will provide the Japanese players with an opportunity to test themselves against the world's leading T20 side just before the Asian Games. For India, the fixture offers a chance to strengthen cricketing ties with Japan and support the expansion of the sport in a new market.
With the Suzuki Cup on September 22 followed by the Asian Games from September 24, Japan are entering an important period for the development of cricket in the country.
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