India-Japan historic T20I faces broadcast scramble as broadcasters race for September 22 clash

Earlier, the plan was to live-stream the India-Japan T20I match on YouTube.

Updated on: Sep 7, 2026, 06:30:09 IST

Written by Aratrick Mondal

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The Indian cricket team will play a historic T20I against Japan at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture on September 22, with the match launching celebrations for the 75th anniversary of India-Japan diplomatic relations. However, the first-ever international face-off between the two nations, which will take place just before the start of the Asian Games men's cricket campaign, is scrambling to find a broadcaster.

India will face Japan on September 22 (AFP)

According to a report in Cricbuzz, the Japan Cricket Association (JCA) is currently in discussions with ITW Universe to secure the rights.

Producing the game will pose logistical challenges, given that it is scheduled just two days before the start of the Asian Games men's cricket campaign. However, the report said the JCA is close to signing an MoU with ITW Universe for the broadcast rights.

Earlier, the plan was to live-stream the match on YouTube. However, even if the JCA and ITW Universe finalise a deal, the option of airing the game on YouTube remains.

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In India, the match could also be shown on regular broadcast platforms, although the BCCI has yet to reach an agreement. FanCode, which has worked extensively with the JCA, is among the broadcasters in the mix, while ITW is in talks with Star, Sony and Zee.

However, the biggest challenge for ITW and the JCA is the scheduling clash with the women's cricket gold-medal match. The women's final will be held at Korogi Athletic Park in Nisshin City, Aichi, just an hour after the scheduled start of the India-Japan men's game. The latter is scheduled to begin at 9:30am IST (1pm Japan time).

With India among the favourites for the women's gold, the two matches could potentially clash in terms of viewership and broadcast attention. Sony currently holds the broadcast rights for the Asian Games.

Another option was to hold the match a day later, on September 23. However, Japan's team will be travelling that day for its first group game in the Asiad, against Afghanistan on September 24 in Aichi, around 400 kilometres from Sano.

The Shreyas Iyer-led Indian team will already have reached Sano on September 20, with the side scheduled to hold a practice session the following day before taking on Japan in the historic game.

The report also highlighted that the Indian team might stay in Sano for a few more days before travelling to Aichi for the start of its Asian Games campaign, which begins on September 28. India, the defending champions, will enter the competition directly in the quarterfinals.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aratrick Mondal
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More

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