The International Cricket Council has pointed to the Japan Cricket Association’s handling of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games as a blueprint that other Associate Members can follow. As per the apex cricketing body, Japan chose to treat the Games as a platform for long-term cricket development rather than simply a competition to enter and exit.
Abhiram S. Yadav, who sits on the ICC Chief Executives’ Committee as the representative for Associate Members, credited the Japan Cricket Association for channelling the Games into something larger. According to Yadav, the JCA used the occasion to draw international attention to cricket in Japan, reinforce the country’s cricket infrastructure, secure backing from commercial and government partners, and arrange a landmark fixture against India.
“Japan understood that the Asian Games were not only a competition to participate in. They looked at the opportunity around the Games and asked how it could help cricket grow beyond those few days. That is something other Associate Members can learn from,” Yadav said in a statement as quoted by Cricbuzz.
The most prominent result of that approach was the first-ever men’s T20I between Japan and India, played on September 22 at the Sano International Cricket Ground. India, the reigning T20 World Cup champions, won a rain-shortened five-over contest by 2 runs. ICC Chairman Jay Shah was present at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games and presented medals to the Indian team, describing the occasion as a proud new chapter in cricket’s history.
“The ICC has spoken consistently about making cricket more inclusive and taking the game to more countries. What is encouraging is when those words are followed by practical examples. Helping bring India and Japan together was one such example. But once that door was opened, Japan made the opportunity count. That second part is equally important,” he said.
How did Japan build cricket infrastructure around the Asian Games?
Japan’s preparation for the Asian Games included the development of a dedicated cricket facility at Kōrogi Sports Park in Nisshin. The ground was put to use before the Games themselves, staging ICC East Asia-Pacific qualifying matches in 2026, and then served as a venue for the Asian Games competition. That sequencing reflected the JCA’s broader thinking: use the Games as a reason to build something permanent rather than a one-off event.
What does Japan’s example mean for other Associate Members?
The ICC has made expanding cricket’s global footprint a stated priority, and Japan’s actions during the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games gave that ambition a concrete illustration at the associate level. The JCA did not wait for the ICC to create every opening; it identified what the Games could offer and acted on it.
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