Japan captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming was proud of his team after they pushed the defending T20I champions India to the brink during their one-off T20I in Sano on Tuesday (Sep 22). Kendel said it was special to push the rain-marred five-over-a-side fixture till the last ball, where <a href="IND vs JPN one-off T20I: India survive scare from Japan to win five-over a side match by 2 runs">India managed to pull off an escape</a> and beat the Associate Nation by just two runs. Kendel said facing India had ‘emotions running pretty high within their group’ as the two teams contested their maiden international face-off.&nbsp;"I've been saying to a few other guys that when [the game] gets that close, [the loss is] actually a little bit tougher to take and the emotions are running pretty high in our group," Kadowaki-Fleming said. "But the fact that we were able to run the best team in the world, in my opinion, to the last ball of a game is pretty special.&nbsp;"I'm sure there will be a couple of moments that replay through our minds on the long bus road now to nowhere but, yeah, it's a feeling of pride at the moment,” he continued.&nbsp;Chasing a mere 33 in five overs, Japan came agonisingly close to beating India in what would have been the biggest upset in all of cricket, with Kendel top-scoring (12 off 12 balls). His wicket on the last ball of the fourth over left Japan with eight to win from six balls. Axar Patel bowled the final over, and despite conceding a couple of singles and wides, he defended the target as India won its 200th T20I.&nbsp;"They've got some world-class spinners, Axar [Patel], Washington [Sundar] and Ravi Bishnoi bowling," Kadowaki-Fleming said. “On our Sano wicket, we knew it was going to be an extreme challenge, but at [a required run-rate of] six-and-a-half, your mind does sort of wander and think you get a couple out of the middle and you never know.”<h2>‘Momentous Occasion’ – Kendel on facing India</h2>While Japan, ranked 41st in men’s T20Is, has risen through the ranks over the years, they have never faced a Test-playing nation. Having Shreyas Iyer’s Indian T20I team as their first high-profile opponent was a monumental moment for them.&nbsp;"Today was a really momentous occasion, in that it was the first time we were able to face a Full Member.&nbsp;"We've got around a 36-hour turnaround now [before the start of the Asian Games]...So, we're going to rest up tomorrow, and we'll prepare for that game, and obviously if we win one of our next two matches, we'll have a chance to play another Full Member in the knockout. So that's definitely the goal."

Japan skipper Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming reflects on taking world champions India to the final ball in a rain-affected, one-off T20I thriller in Sano. Read his reaction.

Japan captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming was proud of his team after they pushed the defending T20I champions India to the brink during their one-off T20I in Sano on Tuesday (Sep 22). Kendel said it was special to push the rain-marred five-over-a-side fixture till the last ball, where India managed to pull off an escape and beat the Associate Nation by just two runs. Kendel said facing India had ‘emotions running pretty high within their group’ as the two teams contested their maiden international face-off. "I've been saying to a few other guys that when [the game] gets that close, [the loss is] actually a little bit tougher to take and the emotions are running pretty high in our group," Kadowaki-Fleming said. "But the fact that we were able to run the best team in the world, in my opinion, to the last ball of a game is pretty special. "I'm sure there will be a couple of moments that replay through our minds on the long bus road now to nowhere but, yeah, it's a feeling of pride at the moment,” he continued. Chasing a mere 33 in five overs, Japan came agonisingly close to beating India in what would have been the biggest upset in all of cricket, with Kendel top-scoring (12 off 12 balls). His wicket on the last ball of the fourth over left Japan with eight to win from six balls. Axar Patel bowled the final over, and despite conceding a couple of singles and wides, he defended the target as India won its 200th T20I. "They've got some world-class spinners, Axar [Patel], Washington [Sundar] and Ravi Bishnoi bowling," Kadowaki-Fleming said. “On our Sano wicket, we knew it was going to be an extreme challenge, but at [a required run-rate of] six-and-a-half, your mind does sort of wander and think you get a couple out of the middle and you never know.” ‘Momentous Occasion’ – Kendel on facing India While Japan, ranked 41st in men’s T20Is, has risen through the ranks over the years, they have never faced a Test-playing nation. Having Shreyas Iyer’s Indian T20I team as their first high-profile opponent was a monumental moment for them. "Today was a really momentous occasion, in that it was the first time we were able to face a Full Member. "We've got around a 36-hour turnaround now [before the start of the Asian Games]...So, we're going to rest up tomorrow, and we'll prepare for that game, and obviously if we win one of our next two matches, we'll have a chance to play another Full Member in the knockout. So that's definitely the goal."

Japan skipper Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming reflects on taking world champions India to the final ball in a rain-affected, one-off T20I thriller in Sano. Read his reaction.

IND vs JPN, one-off T20I: Japan captain Kendel on pushing India to the brink - ‘It was special’

Japan named the same group of players picked for the multilateral Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya for the landmark one-off T20I against India on September 22 at the Sano International Cricket Ground. Japan and India will face off for the first time in international cricket for the Suzuki Cup, launching celebrations of the 75th anniversary of India-Japan diplomatic relations. &nbsp;Japan’s leading batter, Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming, will lead his team against Shreyas Iyer’s Indian T20I team. Fleming has scored 1871 runs in 54 T20Is, with fellow seasoned cricketers Ibrahim Takahashi and Declan Suzuki-McComb, who have played 56 and 54 T20Is, respectively, also featuring against the reigning T20 World Cup champions.&nbsp;Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/where-to-watch-india-vs-japan-historic-t20i-live-streaming-channel-details-1788703019306">Where to watch India vs Japan historic T20I: Channel and live streaming details</a> &nbsp;21-year-old Jake Kusuda-Nairn, a spin-bowling all-rounder, has earned his maiden call-up to the senior team. Tsuyoshi Takada, who played three T20Is in 2023, was also recalled to the squad.<h3>Japan T20I Squad vs India –</h3>Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming (captain), Charlie Hara-Hinze, Benjamin Ito-Davis, Alester Kadowaki-Fleming, Kohei Kubota, Jake Kusuda-Nairn, Wataru Miyauchi (wk), Reo Sakurano-Thomas, Alex Shirai-Patmore (wk), Shoma Sugaya-Slater, Declan Suzuki-McComb, Tsuyoshi Takada, Ibrahim Takahashi, Makoto Taniyama, Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake<h2>India to Play with Full-Strength Squad&nbsp;</h2>Similarly, India also named a strong 15-member squad for the historic fixture and the upcoming Asian Games.&nbsp; &nbsp;Newly appointed T20I captain Shreyas Iyer will lead the team against Japan, with India’s ace quick Jasprit Bumrah also making the squad. Besides him, Arshdeep Singh and former world number one T20I bowler Varun Chakaravarthy have also been picked. Harshit Rana is the remaining quick in the team, and Ravi Bishnoi will lead the spin attack, including spin-bowling all-rounders Axar Patel and Washington Sundar. &nbsp;India’s batting looks lethal, with ultra-attacking openers in Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma at the top, followed by two keeper-batters and T20 World Cup winners, Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson. Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube and Nitish Kumar Reddy round out the middle and lower order as India will enter the contest as favourites.<h3>India T20I Squad vs Japan –</h3>Shreyas Iyer (captain), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Nitish Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi

Japan and India have named full-strength squads for their historic T20I in Sano ahead of the 2026 Asian Games. Check team lists, captains, and key players.

Japan named the same group of players picked for the multilateral Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya for the landmark one-off T20I against India on September 22 at the Sano International Cricket Ground. Japan and India will face off for the first time in international cricket for the Suzuki Cup, launching celebrations of the 75th anniversary of India-Japan diplomatic relations. Japan’s leading batter, Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming, will lead his team against Shreyas Iyer’s Indian T20I team. Fleming has scored 1871 runs in 54 T20Is, with fellow seasoned cricketers Ibrahim Takahashi and Declan Suzuki-McComb, who have played 56 and 54 T20Is, respectively, also featuring against the reigning T20 World Cup champions. Also read| Where to watch India vs Japan historic T20I: Channel and live streaming details 21-year-old Jake Kusuda-Nairn, a spin-bowling all-rounder, has earned his maiden call-up to the senior team. Tsuyoshi Takada, who played three T20Is in 2023, was also recalled to the squad. Japan T20I Squad vs India – Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming (captain), Charlie Hara-Hinze, Benjamin Ito-Davis, Alester Kadowaki-Fleming, Kohei Kubota, Jake Kusuda-Nairn, Wataru Miyauchi (wk), Reo Sakurano-Thomas, Alex Shirai-Patmore (wk), Shoma Sugaya-Slater, Declan Suzuki-McComb, Tsuyoshi Takada, Ibrahim Takahashi, Makoto Taniyama, Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake India to Play with Full-Strength Squad Similarly, India also named a strong 15-member squad for the historic fixture and the upcoming Asian Games. Newly appointed T20I captain Shreyas Iyer will lead the team against Japan, with India’s ace quick Jasprit Bumrah also making the squad. Besides him, Arshdeep Singh and former world number one T20I bowler Varun Chakaravarthy have also been picked. Harshit Rana is the remaining quick in the team, and Ravi Bishnoi will lead the spin attack, including spin-bowling all-rounders Axar Patel and Washington Sundar. India’s batting looks lethal, with ultra-attacking openers in Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma at the top, followed by two keeper-batters and T20 World Cup winners, Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson. Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube and Nitish Kumar Reddy round out the middle and lower order as India will enter the contest as favourites. India T20I Squad vs Japan – Shreyas Iyer (captain), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Nitish Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi

Japan and India have named full-strength squads for their historic T20I in Sano ahead of the 2026 Asian Games. Check team lists, captains, and key players.

Japan pick Asian Games squad for landmark India T20I: Check captain and top players

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IND vs JPN, one-off T20I: Japan captain Kendel on pushing India to the brink - ‘It was special’

Japan pick Asian Games squad for landmark India T20I: Check captain, top players