The Japan Cricket Association has announced a 15-member squad for a historic one-off T20 International against reigning T20 World Cup champions India. The match, officially branded the Suzuki Cup, will be played at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture on September 22. The fixture is set to be a landmark occasion for Japanese cricket, with Japan preparing to face India in a senior men’s international for the first time.
The match will also form part of the celebrations marking 75 years of diplomatic relations between Japan and India. Japan captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming will lead the side against India. He is the country’s leading run-scorer in T20Is and brings significant experience to a squad that also includes Ibrahim Takahashi and Declan Suzuki-McComb, the only other players selected with more than 50 T20I appearances.
The selectors have largely retained the core of Japan’s Asian Games squad announced in June. Twelve players from that group have been included for the Suzuki Cup, while three players have earned promotion from the A squad — Tsuyoshi Takada, Jake Kusuda-Nairn and Alester Kadowaki-Fleming.
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Leg-spinner Makoto Taniyama is another player to watch. The Japanese bowler developed his action after studying videos of legendary Australian spinner Shane Warne and has gone on to become Japan’s leading wicket-taker. Taniyama also wears jersey No. 23 as a tribute to Warne. Young spin-bowling all-rounder Jake Kusuda-Nairn has also received an opportunity after impressing during the domestic season. His performances were enough to convince the selectors to hand him a place in the squad for the high-profile encounter against India.
Veteran Tsuyoshi Takada returns to the senior team as well. He made his Japan debut at the ICC East Asia-Pacific Twenty20 Championship in 2013 and will provide valuable experience against a full-member nation.
🚨🇯🇵 THE SQUAD IS HERE! 🇯🇵🚨
日本 🇯🇵 が、スズキカップでインド 🇮🇳 と対戦する歴史的な一戦に臨むメンバーを発表しました。#japancricket #クリケット #india #JPNvIND #SuzukiCup pic.twitter.com/DtbkXKCmt0
— 一般社団法人 日本クリケット協会｜ JCA Japan Cricket Association (@CricketJapan) September 7, 2026
Japan’s preparations for the Asian Games will begin before the fixture against India. The team will play two T20Is against Hong Kong on September 19 and 20 before opening its Asian Games campaign against Afghanistan on September 24 and Nepal on September 26.
The Suzuki Cup is also part of the ‘Sport 75’ initiative, established under an agreement between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The initiative aims to strengthen sporting exchanges and cooperation between the two nations.
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India, meanwhile, have selected a full-strength Asian Games squad led by Shreyas Iyer. The one-off T20I against Japan will provide India with valuable preparation before the cricket competition begins on September 24 and runs until October 3.
Japan T20I Squad for Suzuki Cup: Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming (C), Charlie Hara-Hinze, Benjamin Ito-Davis, Alester Kadowaki-Fleming, Kohei Kubota, Jake Kusuda-Nairn, Wataru Miyauchi (WK), Reo Sakurano-Thomas, Alex Shirai-Patmore (WK), Shoma Sugaya-Slater, Declan Suzuki-McComb, Tsuyoshi Takada, Ibrahim Takahashi, Makoto Taniyama, Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake.
