Japan have named the same 15-member squad for the Asian Games 2026 and their historic T20 match against India in Sano on September 22.
The one-off T20I at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture will be the first international cricket meeting between Japan and India. Japan’s all-time leading T20I run-scorer Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming will captain the hosts, who begin their Asian Games campaign just two days after the India fixture.
Ibrahim Takahashi and Declan Suzuki-McComb are the other Japanese players with more than 50 T20I appearances. The India match will serve as preparation for the Asian Games, prompting Japan to retain the same squad for both assignments.
Emerging spin-bowling all-rounder Jake Kusuda-Nairn has earned a call-up after impressing in domestic cricket, while Tsuyoshi Takada returns to the national setup. Spinner Benjamin Ito-Davis is also back after a hand injury ruled him out of the T20 World Cup 2028 East Asia-Pacific Sub-Regional Qualifier earlier this year.
Before facing India, Japan will play two T20Is against Hong Kong China in Sano on September 19 and 20.
Japan will open their Asian Games campaign against Afghanistan on September 24 before facing Nepal on September 26. The top two teams from the group will advance to the quarter-finals.
India, the reigning T20 world champions and top-ranked team in the format, have been seeded directly into the Asian Games quarter-finals.
The Japan-India T20I will be played for the Suzuki Cup as part of celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. It will also launch Sport 75, an initiative promoting sporting exchanges and cooperation between India and Japan.
India are scheduled to complete a three-match T20I series against Afghanistan in New Delhi on September 17 before travelling to Japan. The BCCI has not announced a separate squad for the Japan match, while India’s Asian Games squad is identical to the one selected for the Afghanistan series.
Japan cricket squad for India T20 2026 match
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.
