With the sixth edition of the ACC Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2026 underway in the UAE, attention in Asian cricket is already shifting to Japan, where the fourth Asian Games cricket tournament will be staged from 17 to 22 September at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Aichi.
In this high-stakes window, Japan Cricket Association (JCA) chief executive Alex Miyaji has moved to reassure stakeholders that, despite a compressed 17‑month preparation timeline and no pre‑existing standard venues in Aichi Prefecture, playing conditions and player arrangements will be fit for a landmark event that brings Asia’s top women’s sides to Japanese soil for the first time.
Miyaji acknowledged the scale of the logistical challenge but insisted the outcome would reflect the intensity of the effort. “All parties are working hard to ensure the success of cricket in the AGs. They only had 17 months to prepare and had to start from scratch as there were no cricket venues of any standard in Aichi Prefecture,” he told Cricbuzz, crediting the joint work of the Aichi‑Nagoya Asian Games Organising Committee (ANIAGOC) and the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).
He added that constraints had not compromised quality: “There are limits on what they can do within these tight limits, but from what I have seen, the playing surface and field will be the best seen in cricket’s inclusion in the AGs. It will be a full‑size ground with turf and hybrid pitches prepared by the best curators, for which Sri Lanka Cricket should be credited for providing.”
Questions over the temporary nature of some facilities, including dressing rooms, have circulated in the build‑up. Miyaji said planning for player and official comfort had been underway for more than a year. “There are both temporary and permanent facilities at the venue. The facilities on the ground are temporary, but ANIAGOC have worked very closely with the ACC for over a year now to ensure that the best facilities are provided within the limited timeline and facility restrictions,” he said.
He stressed that essential amenities would not be lacking: “Despite being temporary, the facilities will provide as comfortable a space as possible for the players and officials. Please note that toilets will be available within the player area. There are also permanent facilities around the ground which will be available to the players.”
On accommodation, Miyaji pointed out that cricket teams would enjoy comparatively superior arrangements. “I can also assure you that the ACC have been discussing accommodation options with ANIAGOC for a long time. The participating teams in cricket are being offered hotel accommodation. Many other sports are being accommodated in much more limited facilities such as a cruise ship or container hotels,” he noted, adding that teams remained free to make their own arrangements if they preferred.
Beyond infrastructure, the JCA has leaned heavily on community engagement to build momentum. “The JCA has mainly been focused on engaging with the local community. We have taken cricket to many schools and shopping centres, which have received great enthusiasm,” Miyaji said, highlighting the backing of Nisshin City as a catalyst for local support.
He expects cricket to emerge as one of the headline sports of the Games. “Cricket will be one of the largest sports in the AGs. It will also be the first time the top teams of Asia will be playing in Japan,” he said, underscoring the event’s potential to attract new audiences.
The sporting stakes are already set. India, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, will defend the gold they won in 2023 by beating Sri Lanka, captained by Chamari Athapaththu, by 19 runs in the final. Eight nations, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand, Japan, China, Bangladesh and Pakistan, will contest the 2026 edition. The tournament opens with a marquee first quarter‑final on 17 September at 5:30 AM IST, as Harmanpreet’s India face hosts Japan at Korogi Sports Park, Nisshin.
As the Women’s Asia Cup unfolds in the UAE, Miyaji’s message is clear: Japan is ready to deliver a successful, visible and competitive cricket chapter at the Asian Games. “We will be supporting ANIAGOC and the ACC, so the tournament is a success and attracts new audiences to the sport in Japan,” he said.
(Quotes sourced from Cricbuzz)
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