India edge Japan by two runs in rain-shortened one-off T20I in Sano
India survived a scare to beat Japan by two runs in the rain-curtailed one-off T20 International in Sano on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, with the match reduced to five overs per side.
The shortened game and a damp, turning surface narrowed the gap between the two sides and turned proceedings into a lottery, with India managing 32 for 4 from their allotted five overs and scoring just three boundaries.
Defending the modest total, India found themselves under pressure when Ravi Bishnoi conceded 10 runs in the third over and Washington Sundar finished with figures of 2/13 after giving away seven in the penultimate over. With eight needed from the final over, Axar Patel (2-0-7-0) used his experience — noted in the report as more than 150 IPL appearances — to restrict Japan’s chase, while rain had also slowed the outfield.
Axar’s final over let Japan down to the wire as he left little room for Shirai Patmore and Benjamin Ito-Davis to swing freely. Umpire Chris Thurgate called two wides when left-hander Patmore attempted reverse slogging and missed twice; India captain Shreyas Iyer complained to leg umpire Chris Brown and the second wide was overturned.
Earlier, Japanese spin bowlers exploited the pitch to keep India to a low total, with left-arm spinner Charlie Hara Hinze returning 2/17 and off-spinner Ibrahim Takahashi finishing with 1/13. Benjamin Ito-Davis also claimed a wicket, recording figures of 1/2.
Hara Hinze removed Abhishek Sharma for 0 after Sharma mis-timed a slog sweep, while Takahashi flighted one to deceive Sanju Samson, who made 10 before being caught at mid-wicket. Ito-Davis dismissed Ishan Kishan for 3 after Kishan attempted to hit against the turn and ended up ballooning the ball to mid-off.
Shreyas Iyer provided the only notable resistance with 16 and struck a boundary, but the combination of appreciable turn and a slow track made hitting across the line difficult for the Indian batters. The match’s truncated format eliminated any opportunity for a longer recovery.
Credit was given to the three Japanese spinners and to skipper Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming for understanding the conditions at Sano, the venue where the home team plays all its home games.
