Japan will also play two T20 International matches against Hong Kong on September 19 and 20.
Dubai. Japan's leading run-scorer Kendall Kadowaki Fleming will captain his country in the historic T20 International match against India to be held in Sano on September 22. In this match, Japan has decided to field the same team which will play in the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) said that Ibrahim Takahashi and Declan Suzuki McComb are the other two players in the Japan team who have experience of playing in more than 50 T20 international matches. This tournament is being organized to commemorate the 75th anniversary of India-Japan diplomatic relations.
The ICC said, in view of Japan's preparation for the Asian Games, it has decided not to include in the squad players who are eligible to play T20 International matches under ICC rules but are ineligible under Asian Games rules.
Thirty-year-old Kadowaki Fleming has so far scored 1871 runs in 55 T20 Internationals at a strike rate of 139.41. He has two centuries and 12 half-centuries in his name. The Asian Games are starting from September 19. The men's cricket competition will start from September 24. India, which is on top in the world rankings, is the current T20 World Cup champion. Japan is ranked 41st in the ICC T20 rankings.
Wicketkeeper Wataru Miyauchi and leg spinner Makoto Taniyama are also included in Japan's 15-member squad. Spin bowling all-rounder Jake Kusuda Nairn and fast bowler Tsuyoshi Takada have been included in the team on the basis of their good performances in the domestic matches.
This match against India is being played under the agreement made during the summit between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Japan will also play two T20 Internationals against Hong Kong on September 19 and 20. They will face Afghanistan (September 24) and Nepal (September 26) in the Asian Games. He will be able to reach the quarter-finals only if he is in the top two.
Japan team: Kendall Kadowaki Fleming (captain), Charlie Hara Hinze, Benjamin Ito Davis, Alastair Kadowaki Fleming, Kohei Kubota, Jake Kusuda Nairn, Wataru Miyauchi (wk), Reo Sakurano Thomas, Alex Shirai Patzukiter, Sugaya McClan (wk) Tsuyoshi Takada, Ibrahim Takahashi, Makoto Taniyama, Lachlan Yamamoto Lake.