India vs Japan T20I Delayed: New Start Time And Match Update

The historic India vs Japan one-off T20I has been reduced to a five-over-a-side contest after a prolonged delay caused by a wet outfield at the Sano International Cricket Ground on Tuesday.

The match was originally scheduled to begin at 1:00 PM local time (9:30 AM IST), but overnight rain left parts of the outfield too damp for play. Despite bright sunshine returning to Sano, the umpires needed multiple inspections before determining that conditions were safe enough for cricket.

The BCCI initially announced an inspection at 1:15 PM local time (9:45 AM IST), with subsequent inspections pushed back as wet patches remained on the outfield. Players were able to warm up while officials waited for the surface to dry sufficiently.

Why was India vs Japan delayed?

The immediate reason was a wet outfield following overnight rain in Sano.

Weather conditions had been a concern before the match, with Typhoon Dujuan affecting parts of Japan. Although there was no persistent rain at the venue when the teams were ready to play, the overnight downpour had left the outfield damp.

The sun eventually came out, but the ground staff and match officials could not simply start the game on the scheduled time. An inspection was required to assess whether the outfield was safe for the players.

The pitch itself was also reported to have wet patches around the ground, with the officials opting to wait rather than risk player safety.

When will India vs Japan start?

The BCCI has now confirmed a revised schedule.

• Toss: 3:30 PM local time (12:00 PM IST)
• Start: 4:00 PM local time (12:30 PM IST)
• Format: Five overs per side
• Powerplay: 1.3 overs per side

The reduction to five overs per side ensures the teams can still get a shortened contest despite the substantial delay.

India and Japan were originally due to play a full one-off T20I as a final preparation match ahead of the Asian Games. The fixture is also the first-ever men's T20I meeting between the two countries.

India, led by Shreyas Iyer, entered the match after a 3-0 T20I series sweep against Afghanistan, while Japan are preparing for their home Asian Games campaign.

With the latest BCCI update, the wait is finally over: barring any further weather intervention, India and Japan are scheduled to take the field at 12:30 PM IST.