Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming to lead Japan against India in historic T20I
What's the story
Japan have announced their squad for the historic one-off T20I against India, scheduled in Sano on September 22. The match, dubbed the Suzuki Cup, will be held at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture. It will act as a precursor to cricket at the Asian Games, which will take place from September 24 to October 3.
Leadership
Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming leads Japan's squad
Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming, their top run-scorer in T20Is, is set to lead Japan in the match.
The 15-member team features 12 players from a national cricketers list announced by the selection panel for the 2026 season in June.
Three other players from the A squads, Tsuyoshi Takada, Jake Kusuda-Nairn, and Alester Kadowaki-Fleming, have also made it to this historic lineup.
Global expansion
BCCI secretary hails cricket's global expansion
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has hailed the India-Japan T20I as a major step in cricket's global expansion.
He said the match is part of a broader strategy to take cricket to new territories and strengthen its presence in regions with high potential.
The BCCI secretary also credited ICC chairman Jay Shah for his vision of making cricket more accessible, inclusive, and truly global.
Information
Japan squad for India T20I
Japan squad: Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming, Charlie Hara-Hinze, Benjamin Gou-Ito Davis, Kohei Kubota, Wataru Miyauchi, Reo Sakurano-Thomas, Declan Suzuki-McComb, Shoma Sugaya-Slater, Alexander Shirai-Patmore, Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake, Makoto Taniyama, Ibrahim Takahashi, Tsuyoshi Takada, Jake Kusuda-Nairn, and Alester Kadowaki-Fleming.
Information
Historic one-off match
The impending match is part of Sport 75, an initiative launched after a meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Indian PM Narendra Modi. The move also supports India's ambition to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2036.