India is scheduled to play Japan in a historic one-off T20I match at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi on Tuesday, September 22. However, the toss has been postponed because of a wet outfield. Umpires will conduct another inspection at 10:45 AM IST to assess the conditions.
The contest marks the first-ever international cricket meeting between India and Japan and is being played as part of celebrations marking 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The match also comes ahead of the Asian Games 2026, where both teams will feature in the men’s cricket competition. The weather had already emerged as a concern ahead of the match, with showers forecast in Sano. The wet conditions have now affected the start of the game, although the current sunshine provides some hope of the outfield improving. India enter the match as the reigning T20 World Cup champions, while Japan will be looking to make the most of the opportunity to face a top international side.
