Japan Names Squad for Historic T20I vs India — SkimNews
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- Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming will captain Japan in the September 22 T20I against India in Sano; the 30-year-old is Japan's leading T20I run-scorer with 1,871 runs in 55 appearances at a strike rate of 139.41, including two hundreds and 12 fifties.
- Japan excluded players eligible for T20Is under ICC rules but ineligible under Asian Games rules, using the India match as direct Asian Games preparation ahead of the competition starting September 19 (men's cricket from September 24).
- The one-off match, branded the Suzuki Cup, commemorates the 75th anniversary of India-Japan diplomatic relations and stems from an agreement at a summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese counterpart Sanae Takaichi.
- India enter as the No. 1-ranked side and reigning T20 World Cup champions, while Japan sit 41st in the ICC T20I rankings.
- Japan's 15-member squad features Ibrahim Takahashi and Declan Suzuki-McComb (both with 50+ T20Is), wicket-keeper Wataru Miyauchi, leg-spinner Makoto Taniyama — Japan's leading wicket-taker who cites the late Shane Warne as his inspiration — plus rookie spin-bowling all-rounder Jake Kusuda-Nairn and medium-pacer Tsuyoshi Takada.
- Japan will play two T20Is against Hong Kong on September 19 and 20, then face Afghanistan (September 24) and Nepal (September 26) at the Asian Games, needing a top-two group finish to reach the quarter-finals.
Why it matters: The fixture gives Japan — ranked 41st in T20Is — a high-profile test against the world's top-ranked side just days before the Asian Games, offering a critical benchmark against elite opposition that their regular schedule rarely provides.
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