The historic India vs Japan T20I has officially sold out ahead of the September 22 fixture at the Sano International Cricket Stadium. The Japan Cricket Association (JCA) confirmed the ticketing milestone on Thursday, adding further excitement around the Suzuki Cup encounter. The match will mark the first senior international meeting between India and Japan in cricket. It will also be part of celebrations marking 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The fixture will launch the Sport 75 initiative, which aims to strengthen sporting ties and cooperation between India and Japan through cricket and other sporting activities. The JCA confirmed the sell-out through a post on X, thanking supporters for backing what promises to be a landmark occasion for Japanese cricket.
“Tickets for this historic match are sold out! Japan 🇯🇵 and India 🇮🇳 will face off for the first time ever on the international cricket stage! Thank you for all your support for this historic match at Sano International Cricket Stadium!” the association said.
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The fixture also reflects the wider efforts by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to expand cricket into emerging markets. Japan, which made its T20I debut in 2022, has never previously played a full-member nation at senior level.
India and Japan, however, have met at youth level. Their first cricket encounter came during the 2020 U-19 World Cup in Bloemfontein, South Africa, on January 21. India fielded a talented side featuring future internationals Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel and Ravi Bishnoi.
歴史的な一戦のチケットは完売しました！🏏🎉
日本 🇯🇵 とインド 🇮🇳 が、国際クリケットの舞台で史上初対戦！
佐野国際クリケット場で行われる歴史的な一戦に、たくさんのご声援ありがとうございます！
2026年9月22日 — 13:00時間#japancricket #クリケット #india #JPNvIND #SuzukiCup pic.twitter.com/oD8ezAXwK4— 一般社団法人 日本クリケット協会｜ JCA Japan Cricket Association (@CricketJapan) September 10, 2026
Japan struggled against India’s bowling attack and were bowled out for just 41 runs, with Kartik Tyagi and Bishnoi among the key wicket-takers. India completed the chase inside five overs without losing a wicket, with Jaiswal scoring an unbeaten 29 off 18 balls to seal a comprehensive 10-wicket victory.
Japan will also host the men’s and women’s cricket competitions at the 2026 Asian Games. The matches are scheduled to take place at Kōrogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Aichi Prefecture. India will enter the Asian Games as defending champions after winning both the men’s and women’s gold medals in Hangzhou in 2023. The women’s teams are scheduled to meet in the first quarterfinal on September 17.
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In the men’s competition, India have secured direct qualification for the quarterfinals as one of the top seeds. Japan, meanwhile, will begin in the preliminary round in Group A alongside Afghanistan and Nepal. Group B features Hong Kong China, Malaysia and Oman. Should Japan progress from the preliminary stage, another India-Japan meeting could take place in the knockout rounds, adding another potential chapter to their growing cricketing relationship.
