Many would cross continents for a glimpse of Mount Fuji, that towering mix of snow and lava. Around 1996, Tayyab Rabbani travelled more than 6,000 kilometres to see Japan’s highest peak.It would not be the only meeting of value. Somewhere along the way he met Tomoko Takahashi, then a student of nutrition and a private tutor besides. They found common ground in abundance, none richer than a zeal to explore the world and a shared penchant for hospitality.Tayyab invited Tomoko to the Rabbani home in Islamabad, and she went. There she fell for his younger brother, Umar, and made him her companion for life.In those same years, a New Zealander was making a journey of his own. Garth Thomas travelled roughly 9,160 kilometres, from Waikato to Toyama on Japan’s western coast. He had a job teaching conversational English at Toyama University, a good salary, and every reason to think the move would be easy. Or so he thought.Toyama, he soon discovered, was no Tokyo or Osaka, and few there could make sense of his Kiwi accent. Yuko Sakurano, a student at a neighbouring university, was among the fortunate few who could. She found him, and they fell in love. Reo moved to his father’s Waikato at five. He found other pastimes, but none held him like cricket. He played U-19 cricket for Northern Districts. (Special Arrangement)Neither Tomoko nor Yuko, raised in Japan, knew much of a sport called cricket. It was, however, part of life in Islamabad and Waikato, and Umar and Garth hoped their children would pick up the bat one day.Story continues below this adOn Tuesday, those children will play for Japan against India, the reigning 20-over world champions. Ibrahim Takahashi and Reo Sakurano-Thomas have been named in the squad for the historic one-off fixture at the Sano Cricket Ground.…“I was born in Japan, in a city called Gotemba in Shizuoka Prefecture, right next to Mount Fuji. I lived there for the first eight years, before moving to Pakistan,” Ibrahim tells The Indian Express from Japan.In Pakistan, Umar looked after his ailing father. Ibrahim found cricket.“All of my cousins played cricket, so I started playing with them. Among my earliest cricket memories is watching the 2007 T20 World Cup final. I remember Misbah-ul-Haq hitting that scoop, and all of us started jumping around, thinking it would be a six. But then, Sreesanth took that catch and all of us were heartbroken.Story continues below this ad“I started playing for a local team called Junoon. Cricket has been my passion, though I never envisaged I would make it to the international level.”Reo moved to his father’s Waikato at five. He found other pastimes, but none held him like cricket. He played U-19 cricket for Northern Districts.“I played cricket all throughout my high school. The region I grew up in has given New Zealand some of its biggest stars: Kane Williamson, Mitchell Santner, Trent Boult.” “I was born in Japan, in a city called Gotemba in Shizuoka Prefecture, right next to Mount Fuji. I lived there for the first eight years, before moving to Pakistan,” Ibrahim tells The Indian Express from Japan. (Special Arrangement)For Ibrahim, a Shoaib Akhtar fanatic, the bat gave way to books. He studied IT and visual communication, and that seemed to be that for his cricket, until 2018, when the family returned to Japan after the death of his paternal grandfather.Story continues below this ad“COVID struck a year after we moved back to Japan. Sitting at home I wasn’t doing anything, so I searched for cricket in Japan and got in touch with one of the clubs, the Chiba Sharks. After a few months I heard we had a sub-regional World Cup qualifier coming up, so I threw my hat into the ring. Luckily enough, I was selected.”Reo, who grew up idolising Brendon McCullum, came back for reasons of his own.“I came back in 2022, after finishing my graduation in New Zealand. There were two main reasons: I got a job with the Japan Cricket Association, and I had ambitions of playing for the national team.”Today, he does both, and coaches Japan’s U-16 and U-19 teams for the JCA.Story continues below this adAlso Read | Japan prepares ground for T20 with India, Sri Lanka pitches in, and sponsors line upIbrahim now lives in Brisbane, where he went for his cricket and found his wife.“I came to Australia on a tourist visa just to play grade three cricket and improve my skills. But along the way, I met my wife Zunerah, who also has her roots in Pakistan.”He cannot wait for the match against India. Neither can Umar.“My dad is so excited that his son would be playing against the world’s best cricket team. Jasprit Bumrah, my favourite bowler. Abhishek Sharma, from whom I learn fearlessness. All these guys are in Japan, it is surreal.”Reo says the same.Story continues below this ad“Even in my wildest dream, I would not have imagined that the opportunity of playing against the world champions would arrive. My dad commentates on Japan’s matches. He probably won’t get this particular gig, but I know he will be super proud that his son is playing against India.”