The reigning T20 world champions India will play Japan for the first time in an international match when the teams meet at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi on September 22, the two cricket boards said on Friday.

Legend has it that death threats from disgruntled samurai warriors were behind Japan's first cricket match in 1863 and the sport has battled for recognition in the baseball-mad country ever since.

This was Mongolia’s fifth T20I appearance, having made international debut at the Hangzhou showpiece where they made a group stage exit after losing both their matches.