Japan captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming calls India T20I clash 'surreal' ahead of September 22 match

Japan captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming has expressed his excitement ahead of the historic T20I against India scheduled for September 22, 2026, at Sano International Cricket Ground. The match will be the first cricket fixture under the 'Sport 75' initiative, which emerged from an India-Japan Prime Ministers' summit agreement and aims to strengthen people-to-people exchanges and cooperation between the two nations through sport.

The fixture also commemorates the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and India, adding further significance to the occasion. Sano International Cricket Ground, which normally holds around 500 spectators, has been transformed to potentially host up to 2,000 fans for the event. Kadowaki-Fleming spoke candidly about the scale of the occasion, noting the expected crowd and the profile of the visiting players.

"But I understand we are expecting around 2,000 to 3,000 for this match. Obviously, these Indian players are A-list celebrities, and I think we will have plenty of supporters, Indian supporters of cricket, coming from Tokyo and everywhere around the country. So there's going to be plenty of security and probably logistical measures that we haven't experienced in Japan before. But, yeah, I mean, I don't know what to expect. Even hearing you talk about India playing a cricket match against Japan sounds surreal. I can't wait," Kadowaki-Fleming said, as quoted by the press.

Why does Kadowaki-Fleming describe the India clash as a landmark moment for Japan cricket?

The September 22 fixture represents a step into unfamiliar territory for Japan cricket in terms of both the opposition and the anticipated atmosphere. Kadowaki-Fleming acknowledged that the logistical demands of hosting a side of India's stature would be unlike anything Japan has previously encountered at home, from crowd management to security arrangements.

The match is the first event under the Sport 75 initiative, which was agreed upon at the highest diplomatic level between the two countries. For Japan, a side that competes regularly in Asian cricket competitions, sharing the field with one of the sport's most prominent nations carries a significance that goes well beyond a single result.

How has Japan prepared for India's batting lineup ahead of the T20I?

Japan's squad includes 17-year-old left-arm spinner Charlie Hara-Hinze, who has a notable prior record against at least one member of India's batting group. At the Under-19 Asia Cup in Sharjah in 2024, Hara-Hinze dismissed Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the eighth over of an ODI. Sooryavanshi had scored 23 runs at that point, including three fours and a six, before Hara-Hinze took his wicket. Kadowaki-Fleming referenced that dismissal with confidence when discussing Japan's readiness for the India encounter.

Well, our young 17-year-old left-arm spinner has actually got him out before in an Asia Cup at the Under-19 level, so we have got him sorted. Don't worry," he added.

Before the India match, Japan will face Hong Kong in two T20Is on September 19 and September 20, giving the squad competitive preparation ahead of the September 22 fixture at Sano.