India to face Japan in one-off T20I at Sano on Tuesday

India will play Japan in a one-off T20I at the Sano International Cricket Ground on Tuesday, marking the first meeting between the sides. The match forms part of the Suzuki Cup and precedes India's Asian Games campaign.

The Japan Cricket Association has upgraded facilities at Sano to host the fixture, with temporary seating and security measures in place. Alan Curr, the JCA's chief operating officer, said the opportunity to host India had drawn significant local interest and media attention.

India have rested several players ahead of the Asian Games, with Jasprit Bumrah and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi not in the playing XI. Japan, ranked 41st, view the match as a landmark moment in their development, having expanded registered players from 3,000 to 8,800 over the past decade.