India-Japan cricket match in Sano to open 75th anniversary celebrations

The India-Japan cricket match in Sano City on September 22 will open celebrations marking 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Ambassador Nagma Mohamed Mallick said the friendly fixture will also draw diaspora members and supporters from abroad.

Nagoya: The upcoming India-Japan cricket match in Sano City will mark the inaugural event of the celebrations commemorating 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Ambassador of India to Japan Nagma Mohamed Mallick told IANS.

The match is scheduled for September 22 in Sano City, Tochigi, and will be a significant sporting event amid the ongoing Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

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“This is an important event in the bilateral calendar between India and Japan. The cricket match on the 22nd will be the inaugural event for the 75-year celebration of diplomatic relations between India and Japan. That’s what we’re celebrating. It’s the first event, and our two prime ministers agreed to that a couple of months ago,” Mallick told IANS.

The fixture will be played in Sano rather than at the newly developed cricket venue in Nagoya, which is being used for the Asian Games. Mallick explained that the Nagoya pitch will remain occupied by teams competing in the continental tournament.

“So we will hold this in Sano City, not here because they developed a cricket pitch here just for the Asian Games. And that pitch will be busy with the teams playing for the Asian Games. So there’s another older pitch in Sano City,” she said.

While the fixture is being viewed as a friendly match, Mallick said its significance extends beyond the cricket field, with the contest forming part of the broader celebrations of India-Japan ties.

“That’s where we’ll be doing it on the 22nd. It’s a great feeling. It’s an important event for the bilateral relationship,” she added.

The ambassador also highlighted the enthusiasm surrounding the fixture, noting that tickets were sold out and that supporters from India and around the world were expected to attend.

“And also I hope, I mean, as far as I know, tickets are sold out. So people have come even from back home and other places abroad to watch that match,” Mallick said.

She also expects strong support from the Indian diaspora in Japan, adding, “But I hope, and I think many members of the Indian diaspora here in Japan are also going to be there in Sano City.”

The India-Japan cricket match is thus set to combine sporting exchange with a landmark milestone in the two countries’ diplomatic relationship.