Devajit Saikia, the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), emphasized that the inaugural T20I match between world champions India and Japan transcends the boundaries of a typical cricket game. He described it as a pivotal moment that encapsulates the sport’s evolution from a “global ambition” to a tangible global reality. This sentiment underscores the growing international reach of cricket and the importance of expanding the game’s footprint in new markets like Japan.
The India–Japan T20I match on 22nd September ’26 is one such moment taking international cricket to Japan, connecting with a new audience and strengthening the game’s presence in a region with immense potential,” he said.
Posting on X, Saikia said that the sport’s journey is “being shaped by moments that take the game beyond its traditional boundaries. “Cricket’s global journey is being shaped by moments that take the game beyond its traditional boundaries. The Japan Cricket Association (JCA) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday announced that the men’s teams from each nation will play a T20 International match to launch the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of India-Japan diplomatic relations.
The match will be the first step of “Sport 75”, an initiative that stems from an agreement reached during a summit between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and aims to promote human exchanges and cooperation between India and Japan in the field of sports, taking note of India’s ambition to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2036, according to the press release. We thank the BCCI for working with us towards this goal and greatly look forward to welcoming the passion of Indian cricket fans, and we actively encourage any local Japanese people curious about cricket to come and cheer on our team in what will be a truly memorable occasion,” he said. “To be able to invite the reigning World Champions to then home of cricket in Japan is a landmark moment for our association.
He also said that the match is an opportunity to recognise the vision and groundwork laid down by Jai Shah, the current ICC Chairman during his tenure as BCCI secretary, for the growth of cricket globally at the heart of its future. Saikia also recognised the responsibility of BCCI to bring the sport to “new countries, new communities and new generations”.
