Benjamin Ito-Davis, Japan's wicketkeeper-batter, says he has spent the past three weeks coming to terms with the reality that cricketers he has watched on television will soon be standing 22 yards away from him, as Japan host India in a one-off historic men's T20I at Sano on Tuesday, 23 September 2026. The fixture, however, faces an uncertain future with Typhoon Dujuan threatening to disrupt proceedings.

A Dream Fixture Three Weeks in the Making

Ito-Davis recalled how word of the match first filtered through as faint noise — a possibility rather than a promise. 'We found out about this happening when we first heard some little noise a month ago. We were told to just keep our schedules free and start preparing,' he said. Final confirmation arrived roughly three weeks ago, triggering a flurry of calls among the squad.

'Obviously when we all found out, we all called each other and spoke about it and were really excited to see it come true. These are our idols and superstars of cricket, and some of the world's best players. From always watching them on TV, to finally saying we're going to be hosting them in Japan, the emotions have been a lot of excitement and just really can't wait to get started,' he said ahead of the clash.

Bumrah, Samson and the Weight of Idols

For Ito-Davis, the occasion carries a deeply personal dimension. A follower of the IPL who counts Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings among his favourite franchises, he said Tuesday's match would mark the first time he has ever been in close proximity to Indian players. Two names stand out.

'I definitely can't wait to meet Jasprit Bumrah. His mentality, calmness and he also seems just as a really kind person. Hopefully he will share a few thoughts and a few tips for me, which would be amazing and huge for me,' he said. He was equally enthusiastic about Sanju Samson: 'He's also a wicketkeeper, and maybe if I'm batting, I'll be close to him. To meet Sanju as well is huge as he's another one of my idols.'

Narrowing the Contest: Ball by Ball

Japan are ranked 41st in men's T20Is — several rungs below the current T20 World Cup holders — but Ito-Davis insists the gap in stature need not define the outcome of every delivery. 'Although it is a big game for us as individuals and as a team, it's still to just focus on what we have as our strengths,' he said.

'It doesn't really matter who is bowling the ball or who you're bowling to. At the end of the day, it's you against the ball. So you just have to have that mentality, take everything else out of it and just focus on the ball or what you're trying to execute when you're bowling,' he added. The squad's recent form — wins over Papua New Guinea, Bahrain and Kuwait in May — has helped build the belief required to carry that mindset into a fixture of this scale.

The Infrastructure Gap and the Daily Grind

The practical realities of Japanese cricket remain formidable. Ito-Davis, based in Chiba, east of Tokyo, faces a roughly six-hour daily train commute for each training session at the national squad's primary international ground. 'It is quite a tiring task and can be exhausting, but this is the small cost that we are and can take to have the chance to play against like India,' he said.

Pressed on what Japanese cricket needs most to grow, his answer was unequivocal. 'For Japan cricket to grow and go to the next level, we need more facilities. This is our biggest obstacle right now — we're just quite short on facilities around Japan. Just to have more nets, to have more grounds built all around Japan would be a huge boost and a huge opportunity for the game to grow,' he said.

Beyond the Scoreboard: Growing the Game

Ito-Davis wears several hats — player, assistant coach of Japan's women's team, and the national body's de facto social media manager, active on Instagram and X to push cricket to an audience that has largely never watched a match. He credits his father for first introducing him to the sport in their back garden, with the Chiba Sharks local club and school cricket providing the next steps before an international debut approximately two years ago.

His cricketing idols range from former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson to Virat Kohli: 'I love his energy, his passion for the game, and his relentlessness in scoring runs. He never backs down a challenge and he's always there for the fight.' Regardless of how the scoreboard reads at Sano, Ito-Davis has already set his own metric for success. 'If we're able to inspire one kid or one boy or girl to pick up the sport and play cricket, because they've watched these games or watched us play, then I think that's the biggest success story,' he said. All eyes now turn to whether Typhoon Dujuan will allow Tuesday's fixture to proceed.