Tokyo, September 17, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Delhi Capitals have partnered with The British School in Tokyo (BST) to introduce cricket to more young students in Japan, expanding the IPL franchise’s grassroots outreach with support from the Japan Cricket Association (JCA).
The initiative comes as cricket gains momentum in Japan, with the sport returning to the Asian Games and set to make its Olympic comeback at Los Angeles 2028.
The partnership also precedes a significant week for India-Japan cricket. The Indian women’s team will take on hosts Japan in the Asian Games quarter-finals on September 18, while India’s men will face Japan in the Suzuki Cup T20 International on September 22 at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture.
As the first activity under the partnership, former India captain and Delhi Capitals Women’s Assistant Coach Anju Jain visited BST earlier this month to conduct cricket workshops for primary and secondary school students.
Jain, a former India wicketkeeper-batter who captained the country at the 2000 Women’s World Cup and is an Arjuna Award recipient, introduced students to the fundamentals of the game while drawing on her international playing and coaching experience.
The collaboration is expected to extend beyond introductory sessions, with plans for additional coaching programmes, player interactions, technical support for school coaches and assistance for student-led cricket initiatives at BST.
BST Principal Ian Clayton said cricket could help connect students across cultures and generations, while expressing excitement over working with Jain and Delhi Capitals to encourage the sport’s development in Japan.
Delhi Capitals CEO Sunil Gupta said the franchise sees an opportunity to contribute to grassroots cricket in the country by bringing its experience and expertise closer to young players.
The Capitals already have a link with Japanese cricket through pacer Ahilya Chandel, who joined the franchise as a net bowler during WPL 2025. Chandel is among the few bowlers to have taken a double hat-trick in women’s T20 internationals.
With cricket featuring at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games and returning to the Olympic programme in 2028, the partnership gives Delhi Capitals another platform to help introduce the sport to a new generation in Japan.
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