Skipper Iyer relishes "cordial, generous" Japanese experience ahead of historic one-off T20I

Earlier in September, the Japan Cricket Association (JCA) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that the men’s teams from each nation will play a T20 International match to launch the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of India-Japan diplomatic relations.

Indian T20I skipper Shreyas Iyer expressed excitement for the historic one-off T20I against Japan and also spoke of his initial experience in the country so far, which saw him experience people's "cordial, helpful and generous nature". Earlier in September, the Japan Cricket Association (JCA) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that the men’s teams from each nation will play a T20 International match to launch the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of India-Japan diplomatic relations.

Team India landed in Japan ahead of the T20I set to take place on Tuesday. Speaking in a video posted by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Iyer said that his experience has been "beautiful" so far and, having heard so much positive about Japan, Tokyo and its people, he is really looking forward to exploring the country more.

He also said that while they do not know much about the conditions and wicket in Japan, the team is really looking forward to the match. "It is beautiful. I mean, the time we landed, we saw the people very cordial, generous, and helpful in nature, which we see at back at home as well. The hospitality is brilliant, and yeah, I mean, it is too early to talk about it, but I'm sure that I've heard special things from people about Japan as a country and Tokyo as a city as well, so looking forward to explore more," he said.

"It is going to be a thrilling and exciting match for us. This is the first time we would be playing Japan, and do not know much about the conditions, the wicket, but looking forward to have a great match," he added. After managing scores of 8*, 11 and 29 in the recently concluded Afghanistan T20I series held in Delhi, Shreyas Iyer will be eyeing some big runs ahead of his side's Asian Games campaign opener on September 28.

Since his return to the Indian T20I setup for the first time in three years this year, that too as a captain, Iyer has made 359 runs in 13 innings at an average of 35.90 and a strike rate of over 143, with two fifties and a best score of 80*. The Suzuki Cup, the name for the historic India-Japan T20I celebrating India's 75 years of diplomatic relations with Japan, will take place at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture.

India’s squad for the Japan T20I & the Asian Games: Shreyas Iyer (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (VC), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yash Thakur, Vipraj Nigam. (ANI)