India-Japan one-off T20I at Sano delayed despite clear skies on September 22, 2026
India and Japan’s one-off T20I at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Sano, Japan, on September 22, 2026, did not start on schedule despite no rain since the morning after earlier showers had left parts of the outfield wet. Match officials postponed the toss and carried out inspections while ground staff worked on damp areas before play could be authorised.
The fixture is part of India’s preparations for the Asian Games 2026, where the Indian side will seek to defend their gold medal. It is the first senior men’s international meeting between India and Japan, giving Japan an opportunity to face a full-member nation and India a chance to acclimatise to local conditions. The match is being staged at the Sano International Cricket Ground and was organised as a short-format encounter to provide practice ahead of the Asian Games.
Play was delayed after rain earlier in the day left several damp patches on the outfield, forcing officials to halt pre-match procedures. Although the weather had cleared and there was no further rain that morning, the outfield was still not completely dry and match officials said they needed to ensure the ground was safe for players. Ground staff worked on the wet areas while match officials carried out repeated inspections, with the next inspection scheduled for 11:45 AM IST.
When the toss eventually took place, India won and captain Shreyas Iyer elected to bat. At the toss Iyer said: “We want to bat first. It’s a big occasion, and we know the friendship you mentioned, 75 years of friendship. So it’s going to be an exciting one, and we wanted to explore the conditions as well.” The contest was confirmed as a five-over game.
India’s playing XI did not include young batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has still not returned to the side, while Jasprit Bumrah was rested for the fixture. The reduced five-over format provided both teams a brief window of match practice as they prepare for the upcoming Asian Games 2026.
The one-off T20I at Sano serves explicitly as match practice ahead of the Asian Games 2026, with India aiming to defend their gold medal at that tournament.
