Press Release
~ Star Sports Network bags India TV rights, FanCode takes India digital ~
National, 8 September 2026: 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 - even as the wider global direct-to-consumer rights remain one of the more closely watched short-form sports opportunities of the year.
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).
Bhairav Shanth, Co-Founder, ITW Universe, said:
“The response to this property has been extremely encouraging. Confirming FanCode for India streaming and Star Sports Network for India television gives the match the domestic platform it deserves. When a unique fixture like India versus Japan also draws serious attention from some of the biggest names in global streaming - including platforms for whom live cricket would be an entirely new chapter - it validates the opportunity we saw in the property. A first cricket play by a service of Netflix’s scale would be a genuine win for the game, not just for this match. The continued interest in the global window shows this historic encounter can travel well beyond traditional cricket markets.”
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.”
Organised by the Japan Cricket Association as part of the ‘Sport 75’ initiative, the fixture marks 75 years of diplomatic relations between India and Japan. Held alongside the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, the match offers a route to take Indian cricket into a new market while giving Japanese cricket a high-profile international platform.
With FanCode confirmed as the India streaming partner, Star Sports Network confirmed as the India television partner, and leading global platforms continuing to assess the wider D2C rights, ITW Universe is positioning the India–Japan T20I as a distinctive international cricket property - one whose commercial and audience potential now sits as much in new streaming ecosystems as in traditional cricket markets.
The Japan Cricket Association is also expanding capacity at the Sano International Cricket Ground to accommodate the expected increase in live attendance for the historic fixture.
About ITW Universe
ITW Universe is India’s only 'Full Stack' agency offering a full range of services across the domains of Sports, Media and Entertainment with the vision to enable clients to leverage opportunities in these high-impact platforms through a Single Window. Often described as the Swiss Knife of Sports, Entertainment, and Media, ITW brings together strategy, media, talent, technology, and execution under one roof.
