India and Japan will play their historic first T20I match on September 22, celebrating 75 years of diplomatic relations.
Japan has announced the team that will compete against India in their historic men’s T20I match against the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup champions and top-ranked team India on September 22 at the Sano International Cricket Ground.
The squad remains unchanged from the group selected for their home Asian Games campaign, which is set to commence two days later in Nagoya.
Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming, Japan’s all-time leading T20I run-scorer, will once again captain the team, accompanied by Ibrahim Takahashi and Declan Suzuki-McComb, both of whom have participated in over 50 T20Is. In preparation for the Asian Games, the team has chosen not to include players who qualify for T20Is under ICC regulations but do not meet the eligibility criteria for the Asian Games.
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As a result, emerging spin-bowling all-rounder Jake Kusuda-Nairn has received a call-up to the squad following his impressive performances in domestic competitions, alongside a return for Tsuyoshi Takada, who made his debut for Japan during the ICC East Asia-Pacific Twenty20 Championship in 2013.
The squad also features Wataru Miyauchi and Makoto Taniyama, both of whom are graduates of Japanese schools with cricket Bukatsu programs. Taniyama, a leg-spinner who developed his bowling style by watching Shane Warne videos on YouTube, wears shirt number 23 in tribute to the Australian legend and is recognized as Japan’s leading wicket-taker across all pathway and international competitions.
Japan cricket team: 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.
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