Indian cricket enthusiasts journeyed from across Japan to Nagoya, transforming the city into a vibrant hub of blue jerseys and national pride for the highly anticipated India-Pakistan men's cricket final at the Asian Games.
Key Points
- Indian cricket fans travelled extensively from Tokyo and other parts of Japan to Nagoya for the India-Pakistan Asian Games final, paying high prices for tickets and travel.
- The overwhelming presence of Indian supporters, vastly outnumbering Pakistani fans, transformed the venue into a vibrant 'slice of India' with flags, chants, and tricolour face paint.
- For many expatriate Indians, the match was a rare opportunity to experience one of sport's fiercest rivalries on Japanese soil and bring a piece of home to their adopted country.
- The large turnout of Indian fans is seen as a significant boost for the growing cricket community in Japan, where expatriates have been instrumental in popularising the sport.
The blue jerseys began making their presence felt on Nagoya's crowded metro trains early on Friday afternoon, offering a familiar glimpse of cricket-crazy India in a city thousands of kilometres from home.
Armed with flags, blue caps, snacks and water bottles, Indian fans packed the Korogi Athletic Park in Nisshin for the India vs Pakistan men's cricket final at the Asian Games, turning the journey to the venue into a festival.
India lived up to its top billing by defending the Asian Games gold medal with a 19-run win over bitter foes Pakistan in the final.
Some made their way from Nagoya, while many others had taken the early-morning Shinkansen (bullet trains) from Tokyo, followed by connecting subway trains and a nearly one-kilometre walk from the nearest station.
The long commute and expensive tickets did little to dampen their enthusiasm, with the sea of blue making it apparent that Indian supporters would vastly outnumber their Pakistani counterparts.
A Rivalry on Japanese Soil
For many, the occasion was about more than just a cricket match. It was a chance to witness one of sport's fiercest rivalries unfold on Japanese soil for the first time.
Mayank, a Pune native who works in cloud technology and has lived in Japan for nearly seven years, was among those who made the journey from Tokyo, paying a hefty premium to be part of the occasion.
"It's India versus Pakistan in Japan, and I'm very excited. That's the reason I came from Tokyo to Nagoya by Shinkansen. I bought the ticket from the grey market at four times the original price. The ticket was originally 10,000 yen, but I paid 40,000 yen. The Shinkansen ticket cost me another 15,000 yen, so I have spent around 60,000 yen just to come and watch the match. I'll spend another 15,000 to 20,000 yen to return," he said.
The journey, however, was a small price to pay for the experience.
At the entrance to the venue, the atmosphere was reminiscent of a cricket stadium back home, with Indian flags fluttering, banners held aloft and supporters sporting tricolour face paint and jerseys.
Chants and conversations about the match filled the air as fans made their way towards the stands, creating a slice of India in Nagoya.
Bringing Home to Japan
For Ganesh, an IT professional from Jaipur who has been living in Japan for five years, missing the contest was never an option. His wife, who is not particularly keen on cricket, even encouraged him to make the trip.
"Since it is such a big rivalry, we have to be here and experience it first-hand. I am based in Tokyo and travelled to Nagoya this morning by Shinkansen. My wife is not a big cricket fan, so she told me to take her share of the money as well and go watch the match," he said.
"The vibe here makes me feel like I am in India. It feels like home, and I am really enjoying it." Sandeep Kumar, an IT professional from Kolkata, had started his day even earlier, leaving Tokyo at around 5am to ensure he reached the ground in time.
For him, the occasion was worth the early start and the long commute.
Cricket's Growing Presence in Japan
The overwhelming Indian presence was also a reflection of the growing cricket community in Japan, where expatriates have played a significant role in popularising the sport.
Avnish Kumar, who has been involved with Japanese cricket since 2018, has witnessed that growth first-hand.
An IT professional, he is also the chairman of the North Kanto region under the Japan Cricket Association, which oversees teams from Tokyo, Saitama and Tochigi.
"Cricket has been growing tremendously over the last four years. When I first came here, we had very limited grounds, but now there are around 20 grounds in Japan. There are also more than 70 T20 teams playing under the Japan Cricket Association, with the format being played across seven to eight regions" he said.
The India vs Pakistan final, he believes, offered a significant opportunity to take that growth further, with the passionate support of the expatriate community giving the sport a visible boost.
"Indians coming in such large numbers is a very good sign for cricket in Japan. The support is tremendous. Even today, around 80 per cent of the people here will be supporting India," Avnish said.
As the blue wave continued to pour into Korogi Athletic Park, the familiar sights, sounds and emotions of an India-Pakistan cricket showdown had travelled all the way to Nagoya.
For the fans who had sacrificed sleep, time and a sizeable chunk of their savings, the final was not merely another match on the calendar, but a rare opportunity to bring a piece of home to Japan.
