“Delighted to be part of this”: BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia hails historic India-Japan T20I

New Delhi [India], September 4 (ANI): As India is ready to play a males’s T20I in opposition to Japan, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Devajit Saikia mentioned the board is delighted to be a part of the historic T20I in Japan, calling it an necessary step in taking Indian cricket to new territories and increasing the game’s attain in Japan and East Asia.

India will play a males’s T20I in opposition to Japan to launch the celebrations of the seventy fifth anniversary of India-Japan diplomatic relations. 

The one-off Suzuki Cup match between India and Japan will likely be performed on the Sano International Cricket Ground on September 22. The fixture will mark a historic first, as India are set to face Japan in a males’s T20I for the primary time.

“The BCCI is delighted to be part of this historic occasion as the Indian and Japanese men’s teams come together for a special T20 International in Japan. This is a significant moment for cricket, as it takes the Indian team to new territory and provides an opportunity to introduce the sport to a wider audience in Japan and East Asia,” Saikia mentioned.

“India and Japan share a strong and longstanding relationship and friendship, and we are pleased that cricket will be part of the celebrations marking 75 years of bilateral relations between the two countries, and we thank the Japan Cricket Association (JCA) for its efforts in making this fixture possible,” Saikia added.

Saikia mentioned the BCCI is dedicated to increasing cricket past its conventional markets and can work with the Japan Cricket Association to strengthen the game’s presence in Japan.

“The BCCI believes that the growth of cricket must extend beyond its traditional territories, and as the world’s largest cricket board, we recognise our responsibility to contribute to that growth. The BCCI will work closely with the JCA to further strengthen cricket in Japan and to build on this relationship in the years ahead,” he mentioned.

The match would be the first step of “Sport 75”, an initiative that stems from an settlement reached throughout a summit between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and goals to advertise human exchanges and cooperation between India and Japan within the area of sports activities, paying attention to India’s ambition to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2036. (ANI)