The Indian sports broadcasting platforms, JioStar and FanCode, have acquired broadcast rights for the historic one-off T20I between India and Japan.
The match, which is set to be played on September 22, 2026, at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi, Japan, is expected to be a watershed moment for Japanese cricket, bringing together two nations at various levels of growth in the sport.
This historic match will put India’s and Japan’s senior men’s cricket teams against each other for the first time. The Japan Cricket Association (JCA) organised the match as part of the flagship ‘Sport 75’ project, which commemorates 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
ITW Universe has partnered with Star Sports Network
Furthermore, ITW Universe has partnered with Star Sports Network for exclusive television rights and FanCode for exclusive India streaming rights to the historic one-off men’s T20I, securing a dual-platform home for the landmark fixture across the country, even as global direct-to-consumer rights remain one of the year’s most closely watched short-form sports opportunities.
ITW Universe has the unique worldwide sports production, distribution, and commercial marketing rights to the India-Japan T20I and is in charge of the property’s international distribution and commercialisation. With India now confirmed for streaming and television, the remaining worldwide D2C discourse has focused on a small number of significant platforms. The competitive field, along with the potential of cricket being on Netflix for the first time, has only raised the fixture’s popularity among sports and streaming executives.
Bhairav Shanth, Co-Founder, ITW Universe, said, “The response to this property has been extremely encouraging. Confirming FanCode for India streaming and Star Sports Network for India television gives the match the domestic platform it deserves. When a unique fixture like India versus Japan also draws serious attention from some of the biggest names in global streaming — including platforms for whom live cricket would be an entirely new chapter — it validates the opportunity we saw in the property. A first cricket play by a service of Netflix’s scale would be a genuine win for the game, not just for this match. The continued interest in the global window shows this historic encounter can travel well beyond traditional cricket markets.”
Yannick Colaco, CEO and Co-Founder, FanCode, said,India taking
Yannick Colaco, CEO and Co-Founder, FanCode, said,“India taking on Japan for the first time in men’s T20I cricket is a unique sporting moment, and we are delighted to bring this historic encounter to fans across India. At FanCode, we are constantly looking to offer our users access to distinctive and emerging sporting properties, and this partnership with ITW Universe gives cricket fans an opportunity to witness a landmark moment in the growth of the game in Japan. We look forward to delivering the India–Japan T20I to fans through a seamless digital viewing experience.”
Prashant Khanna, Head – Sports: Rights & Innovation, JioStar, said, “At JioStar, we’re always looking to take cricket to widest possible audience across the country, and we’re pleased to present this historic contest at the scale it deserves, one that no platform can match. We are glad to partner with ITW Universe to bring the first-of-its-kind India vs Japan fixture across our linear platforms.”
The JCA is actively extending capacity at the Sano International Cricket Ground to accommodate an increasing live attendance, with the match scheduled to be aired internationally at 9:30 AM IST (1:00 PM local time).
Source: sportsmintmedia.com
