India survived a late scare from Japan to win their historic one-off T20I by two runs at the Sano International Cricket Ground on Tuesday.
The match was reduced to five overs per side after rain and a wet outfield delayed the start. India captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and chose to bat first.
India struggled to score quickly and managed only 32/4 in five overs. Iyer led the scoring with 16 runs off 12 balls, while Sanju Samson made nine. Japan’s Charlie Hara-Hinze took two wickets.
Japan needed 33 runs to win and pushed India until the final over. Captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming scored 12 runs before Washington Sundar dismissed him. Sundar finished with two wickets as India kept Japan under pressure.
Japan eventually reached 30/3, falling just two runs short.
The match marked the first men’s international cricket meeting between India and Japan. It also served as preparation for the 2026 Asian Games, making the close finish even more memorable.
