Team India meets Japan ambassador ahead of historic T20I

BCCI president Mithun Manhas and Team India captain Shreyas Iyer-led squad met Japan’s ambassador ONO Keiichi ahead of their historic T20I in Sano on September 22. The Suzuki Cup marks 75 years of India-Japan diplomatic relations and promotes sporting exchanges

New Delhi: BCCI president Mithun Manhas and members of the Indian men’s cricket team, led by captain Shreyas Iyer, met Japan’s Ambassador to India, ONO Keiichi, on Wednesday ahead of the historic T20I between India and Japan in Sano later this month.

The meeting underlined the growing sporting ties between the two countries, with Ambassador ONO presenting Manhas and the Indian team with a Daruma, a traditional Japanese good-luck charm.

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The special gesture came ahead of the Suzuki Cup, which will see India and Japan face each other in a men’s T20I for the first time on September 22 at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture.

Sharing pictures from the meeting, Manhas said the occasion was significant as cricket prepares to reach a new audience in Japan.

“It was a pleasure to meet His Excellency Mr Ono Keiichi, Ambassador of Japan to India @JapanAmbIndia, along with #TeamIndia in Delhi today. This is a special moment as cricket reaches a new audience in Japan, and one that reflects the vision championed by Mr @JayShah of taking our sport to new territories and making it truly global,” Manhas wrote on X.

“We are proud to build on that vision and strengthen cricket’s presence in new parts of the world. The excitement for this historic fixture and the Asian Games is building!” he added.

Ambassador ONO also shared pictures from the meeting, saying he was delighted to meet Manhas and the Indian team led by Iyer.

“Dosti ki Nayi Innings, delighted to meet @BCCI President @MithunManhas and Team India led by Captain @ShreyasIyer15. Looking forward to the SUZUKI CUP – India-Japan 75th Anniversary Cricket Match in Sano, Tochigi, Japan, on 22 September! Best wishes for the 20th Asian Games,” he wrote on X.

The Suzuki Cup is being organised as part of celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Japan. It is also the first step of the ‘Sport 75’ initiative, which seeks to promote sporting exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.

The match will also mark India’s first international cricket fixture in Japan and the first-ever international meeting between the men’s teams of India and Japan.

The Sano International Cricket Ground, which normally accommodates around 500 spectators, has been prepared to potentially host up to 2,000 fans for the high-profile fixture.

The match comes just days before the start of the men’s cricket competition at the 2026 Asian Games, where both India and Japan are set to participate. India will be using the fixture as part of its preparations for the continental event.