Ind vs JPN: India defeated Japan by two runs in their first-ever Twenty20 International at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi, Japan news reported on Tuesday.
Rain reduced the match to five overs per side after a three-hour delay. India scored 32 for four before restricting Japan to 30 for three.
Shreyas Iyer top-scored for India with 16 runs, while Japan’s spinners kept India’s batting under pressure. Left-arm spinner Charlie Hara-Hinze took two wickets for 17 runs, while off-spinner Ibrahim Takahashi claimed one for 13.
Abhishek Sharma was dismissed for a duck after mistiming a slog sweep off Hara-Hinze. Sanju Samson scored 10 before being caught at mid-wicket off Takahashi, while Ishan Kishan was dismissed for three by Benjamin Ito-Davis.
Japan needed eight runs from the final over, but Axar Patel conceded only seven runs to seal India’s narrow victory. Patel finished with figures of two overs for seven runs.
India had also benefited from the slow outfield caused by rain. In the final over, umpire Chris Thurgate made several wide-ball calls after Shirai Patmore missed while attempting reverse slogs. India captain Shreyas Iyer discussed one decision with leg-umpire Chris Brown, after which one wide call was overturned.
The match was played at the Sano International Cricket Ground, Japan’s first purpose-built cricket facility. The venue, which usually accommodates around 500 spectators, was expanded to hold 2,000 fans for the sold-out historic fixture.
Despite the rain delay, local residents and Indian expatriates attended the match, marking a significant occasion for cricket in Japan.