India to play Japan in T20 match; broadcast and team information

The approach of the strong cyclone 'Dozuan', raging in eastern territories of Japan, has created serious obstacles for the upcoming historic match between the Indian and Japanese national teams. Due to adverse weather conditions and heavy rains, the Indian team, led by Shreyas Iyer, was unable to conduct its final pre-match training session.

Cyclone 'Dozuan' has been strongly affecting Japan for the last two days. Strong winds and torrential rains have completely disrupted daily life. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) warned that the storm is passing near the Tokyo metropolitan area, which could worsen the situation.

As a result of this storm, at least 275 flights were canceled in Japan, and numerous railway services in Tokyo and surrounding areas were suspended. Furthermore, the major video game exhibition 'Tokyo Game Show' was closed early, and equestrian competitions within the Asian Games were postponed until Tuesday as a precaution.

The match between the two countries is scheduled for Tuesday at the Sano International Cricket Stadium, located approximately 100 kilometers from Tokyo. This game holds great significance in the context of celebrating the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations, as well as in preparation for the upcoming Asian Games and the Suzuki Cup.

However, due to the storm, the Indian team had to remain off the field, depriving players of their last chance to familiarize themselves with local conditions and pitch characteristics. Before the match, captain Shreyas Iyer highly praised the hospitality of the Japanese people and the general atmosphere, noting that the people are very responsive and kind. Nevertheless, he admitted that the lack of information about local conditions and pitch status could be an issue but assured that the team is fully prepared for this confrontation.

Despite the fact that on paper the T20 World Champion India looks stronger than Japan, which lags significantly in the rankings, all attention is currently focused on the weather conditions.

India has taken a 2-0 lead in the three-match T20 series against Afghanistan. The third and final match is scheduled for September 17 (Thursday) at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Following the securing of victory in the series, the probability of changes in the Indian team's squad increases.

15-year-old Vaivava Suryavanshi was not in India's starting lineup in the first two T20 matches. In the first match, Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma batted at the top order, and the Indian team retained the same starting six in the second match.

After the game, Shreyas Iyer stated that the team aims to give all players an opportunity to adapt to the field and conditions, as well as gain experience from practice matches. Therefore, there is a possibility of giving a chance to players who have been outside the squad so far, and some changes in the team combination may also occur.

Thus, the path is open for 'Baby Boss' to get a chance to play in the third T20 match. Previously, Vaivava demonstrated excellent performance in the T20 series against Zimbabwe, winning the 'Player of the Series' title with 151 runs. Despite this, he had to remain on the bench in the first two matches against Afghanistan.

Now all attention is focused on the match on September 17. If the team management decides to make changes, Vaivava may get his first chance to play an international T20 match in India.

Currently, Vaivava has scored 193 runs in 6 matches for India, with an average strike rate of 189.21, including two half-centuries. In these six games, Vaivava hit 16 fours and 14 sixes.

Matches between the Indian and Afghan teams will take place in the Arun Jaitley Stadium in the capital of India as part of the 2026 friendly cup. Prior to this, India suffered defeats in tours against Ireland and England, although the team managed to regain some momentum in Zimbabwe.

The Indian squad aims to start the series with a victory against Afghanistan. The team is led by strong batter Shreyas Iyer, and young talent Tilak Verma serves as vice-captain. The team is ready to break through the opponents' defense thanks to the trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Yash Thakur.

Experienced batter-bowler Sanju Samson and magic spinner Varun Chakravarthy have returned to the squad, having been absent during the visit to Zimbabwe.

All attention is focused on the 15-year-old super-talent Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who achieved a historic feat by scoring a half-century in 18 matches against Zimbabwe. In the previous tour, he won the 'Player of the Series' title by scoring 81 runs in 49 matches.

The Afghanistan team intends to change its fate in this T20 series after losing both the test and ODI series to India in June. Ibrahim Jadaran is ready for his first major challenge as the full-fledged T20 captain. Additionally, fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq has returned to the team after recovering from injury.

Players such as Rashid Khan, Rehmanullah Gurgaz, Nur Ahmed, Mohammed Nabi, and Gulbadin Naib are well acquainted with Indian pitches and capable of changing the course of the match at any moment.

In T20 history, India has completely dominated Afghanistan. Out of nine encounters between them, India has won eight times, and one match ended in a draw. Afghanistan is still searching for its first victory over India in the T20 format.

Indian Team: Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Sanju Samson (Wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan, Tilak Verma, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Yash Thakur.

Afghan Team: Ibrahim Jadaran (Captain), Rehmanullah Gurgaz (Wicketkeeper), Nur Rehman, Sedikullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Ajmatullah Umrazai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammed Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Haroti, Nur Ahmed, Mujib Ur Rehman, Fazlhaq Faruqi, Abdullah Ahmadzai, Naveen-ul-Haq.