India survived a major scare against Japan to secure a narrow two-run victory in a rain-affected one-off T20 International at the Sano International Cricket Ground on September 22.
The match was originally scheduled as a regular 20-over contest, but rain and a wet outfield delayed the start and forced the game to be reduced to just five overs per side.
India won the toss and elected to bat, but Japan's bowlers made the most of the slow conditions. India lost four wickets and managed only 32 runs from their five overs. Captain Shreyas Iyer top-scored with 16 runs from 12 deliveries, while Sanju Samson contributed nine.
Japan needed 33 runs from 30 balls to record a memorable victory. The hosts started cautiously but remained in contention throughout the shortened chase.
Japan captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming scored 12 runs, while Benjamin Ito-Davis added nine. However, India's bowlers kept the pressure on during the final overs. Washington Sundar took two wickets, while Axar Patel was given responsibility for the decisive final over.
Japan entered the final over needing eight runs but could not find enough boundaries to complete the chase. The hosts eventually finished on 30/3, leaving India with a two-run victory.
The result was particularly notable because it was the first men's T20 International meeting between India and Japan. Japan, still developing its cricket program, pushed one of the world's leading cricket teams to the final stages of the contest.
The match also featured a disputed wide-ball decision during the final over, which was later reversed by the umpires after discussions. With the contest decided by only two runs, the decision became an important moment in the closing stages.
Despite the defeat, Japan's performance provided a major confidence boost ahead of the men's cricket competition at the 2026 Asian Games. India, meanwhile, escaped with a closely fought victory after being pushed much harder than expected in the rain-shortened encounter.