Cricket / “More than a Cricket Match”: BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia on India vs Japan T20I

New Delhi, Sep 7: Cricket is set to break new ground in Japan as India prepares for a historic T20I against the hosts on September 22.

The fixture at Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture will not only celebrate 75 years of diplomatic ties between India and Japan but also serve as a symbolic step in the sport’s global expansion ahead of India’s Asian Games campaign.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia described the match as a landmark occasion. “India–Japan is more than a cricket match. It represents the direction in which our sport is moving from a global ambition to a global reality. The journey has begun. And there is much more to come,” he wrote on X.

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The contest, to be played for the Suzuki Cup, will headline ‘Sport 75’, a bilateral initiative aimed at strengthening sporting exchanges and cooperation between India and Japan.

For Saikia, the significance of the fixture lies in its potential to introduce cricket to new audiences. “Cricket’s global journey is being shaped by moments that take the game beyond its traditional boundaries.

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. He also credited ICC chairman Jay Shah for embedding global expansion into cricket’s long‑term agenda.

“It is also an opportunity to recognise the vision and groundwork laid by Shri Jay Shah during his tenure as BCCI Secretary and now as ICC Chairman in placing the global growth of cricket firmly at the heart of the sport’s future.”

The fixture arrives at a crucial juncture for cricket’s Olympic ambitions, with India set to remain in Japan for the Asian Games from September 24 to October 3. Saikia linked the push into newer markets with the broader objective of making the sport more accessible worldwide.

“From expanding cricket into new territories to building a stronger pathway towards the Olympic movement, the ambition has always been clear: make cricket more accessible, more inclusive and truly global.”

The Japan Cricket Association has echoed this sentiment. Its chief executive Naoki Miyaji called the presence of the reigning world champions “a potentially transformative development” for cricket in the country.

The Sano venue, which usually accommodates around 500 spectators, is expected to expand capacity to nearly 2,000 for the match, with ticketing details to be shared via official social media channels.

Saikia emphasised that the Japan engagement is not a standalone event but part of a sustained expansion strategy.

“As BCCI, our responsibility is to build on that foundation and continue taking the game to new countries, new communities and new generations,” he said.

With the Suzuki Cup fixture, the Sport 75 initiative, and the Asian Games combining in one tour, India’s arrival in Japan is being positioned as another milestone in cricket’s bid to establish a truly worldwide presence.

(IANS)