Photo: Collected
Despite raising hopes of victory, the Japan cricket team could not have the last laugh against India. Facing world champions India for the first time in international T20s, Japan, the 41st-ranked team, lost by just 2 runs.
The match was organised to celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The match was reduced to 5 overs because of a rain-soaked outfield at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Japan.
Coming in to bat first after winning the toss, India lost 3 wickets for just 14 runs. In the top order, Sanju Samson departed for 9, Abhishek Sharma for a golden duck and Ishan Kishan for 3.
For the fourth wicket, captain Shreyas Iyer and Tilak Varma added 18 runs off 13 balls. With this, India scored 32 for 4 in 5 overs. Iyer made 16 off 12 balls with 1 four.
As the wicket was spin-friendly, Japan had all 5 overs bowled by spinners. Among the three spinners, Charlie Hara-Hinze took 2 wickets and Ibrahim Takahashi and Benjamin Ito-Davis took 1 each.
Chasing a target of 33, Japan lost a wicket off the fifth ball of the very first over. Opener Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake returned to the dressing room after making 1.
Another wicket fell in the next over. Takahashi, coming in at number three, stopped at 4. Japan came under pressure after losing 2 wickets for 7 runs.
For the third wicket, captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming and Benjamin Ito-Davis kept the team in the fight with a partnership of 18 runs off 14 balls. Japan needed 8 runs in the last over.
But Japan could not take more than 5 runs from the last over of India’s spinner Axar Patel. They stopped at 30 for 3 in 5 overs. Kadowaki-Fleming made the team’s highest score of 12 off 12 balls with 1 four.
Ito-Davis remained unbeaten on 9 and Shirai-Patmore on 2. India’s spinner Washington Sundar took 2 wickets for 13 runs. India’s Iyer was named player of the match.
