India narrowly escaped an upset to register their 200th T20I victory, defeating a spirited Japan side by two runs in a rain-curtailed, five-overs-a-side match at the Sano International Cricket Ground. This landmark win makes India the first country to reach 200 victories in the shortest format of international cricket, a tally that includes their Super Over triumphs.
Persistent rain delayed the game and forced a drastically shortened contest, prompting India to bat first upon winning the toss. The wet conditions played into the hands of Japan’s lesser-known spin attack, which extracted vital turn and bounce from the damp pitch to shock India’s powerful top-order early on.
Opening batsman Abhishek Sharma fell for a golden duck on the last ball of Charles Hinze’s first over. In the following over, Ibrahim Takahashi removed Sanju Samson for nine, before Benjamin Ito dismissed Ishan Kishan for just three, leaving the visitors reeling at 14 for 3 in the third over. Skipper Shreyas Iyer offered much-needed resistance, striking a boundary in his 16 off 12 deliveries before being dismissed by Hinze in the final over. India posted a modest 32 for 4, with Hinze (2/17), Ito (1/2), and Takahashi (1/13) leading the disciplined Japanese bowling effort.
In reply, Japan’s chase of 33 got off to a disastrous start as opener Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake was run out by Ishan Kishan in the very first over. Off-spinner Washington Sundar then struck twice to put India back in control, removing Takahashi for four and captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming for a run-a-ball 12 to finish with crucial figures of 2 for 13.
With Japan needing eight runs off the final over to clinch a historic victory, Axar Patel was handed the ball. The tension mounted when Axar bowled two wides, though the second was successfully overturned on review, a decision that proved crucial for India. Needing six runs from the final three balls, the Japanese batsmen could only manage single runs off each delivery as Axar held his composure to seal the narrow win. The report also notes that before Benjamin Ito removed Ishan Kishan for just three, leaving India struggling at 14 for 3 in the third over, ibrahim Takahashi quickly dismissed Sanju Samson for 9 two balls later. The report also notes that a five-over game saw India elect to bat first, after losing a significant amount of time.
