India to wear official BCCI jersey vs Japan in historic T20I
New Delhi: India will sport their traditional national jersey when they take on Japan in a standalone Twenty20 International on Tuesday to mark 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The side, captained by Shreyas Iyer, will wear the official Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) kit for the commemorative encounter at the Sano International Cricket Ground rather than their Asian Games attire, sources informed IANS.
The match is scheduled two days prior to the commencement of the men's cricket event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, where both India and Japan are set to feature alongside eight other nations. A separate playing kit will be utilised for the Asian Games tournament, mirroring the setup deployed for the Indian women's team.
The maiden T20I between the two sides represents their first senior international meeting on the cricket pitch and serves as the ceremonial opener for celebrations commemorating the 75th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties.
It also stands as the headline fixture launching ‘Sport 75’, a joint sports exchange and cooperation initiative established following a summit agreement between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Commenting on the historic match, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia described the fixture as a landmark moment for the sport's global reach. "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.
"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 stated.
IANS