India were reduced to 32 for 4 in five overs against Japan in their historic one-off T20I at the Sano International Cricket Ground on September 22. The match, originally scheduled as a full T20I, was reduced to five overs per side after weather delays. The fixture is the first men’s T20I meeting between India and Japan.
Japan’s spinners created major problems for the Indian batting lineup on a challenging surface. Abhishek Sharma was dismissed for a golden duck in the opening over, caught after attempting to attack Charlie Hara-Hinze. Sanju Samson then fell for 5, with Ibrahim Takahashi taking the wicket.
Ishan Kishan was dismissed for 1 after Benjamin Ito-Davis induced a top edge, leaving India at 14 for 3. Shreyas Iyer briefly stabilised the innings with a few boundaries and scored 8 before Hara-Hinze claimed his second wicket. India eventually finished their five overs at 32 for 4.
Japan’s bowlers also impressed with their fielding, limiting India’s scoring opportunities and producing several sharp stops. Hara-Hinze finished the innings with two wickets, while Takahashi and Ito-Davis claimed one each.
The match is being played as part of the Suzuki Cup and also serves as preparation for the upcoming Asian Games. India entered the contest as the reigning T20 World Cup champions, while Japan are using the fixture as preparation for their own Asian Games campaign.
With Japan requiring 33 runs from their five-over chase, the historic fixture moved into a potentially close finish after India’s unexpected batting collapse.
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