CHENNAI: ITW Universe has partnered with Star Sports Network for the exclusive India television rights and FanCode for the exclusive India streaming rights of the historic one-off men’s T20I between India and Japan, locking in a dual-platform home for the landmark fixture across the country. ITW Universe holds the exclusive global sports production, broadcast distribution and commercial marketing rights for the India–Japan T20I and is overseeing international distribution and commercialisation of the property. With India now confirmed across streaming and television, the remaining global D2C conversation has narrowed around a short list of major platforms. The competitive field, and the prospect of cricket landing on Netflix for the first time, has only increased the fixture’s standing among sports and streaming decision-makers. The one-off T20I will be played on 22 September 2026 at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi, Japan, marking the first meeting between the senior men’s teams of India and Japan in T20I cricket. The match is scheduled to begin at 9:30 AM IST (1:00 PM local time).
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.”
