Team India defeated Japan by two runs in a thrilling match, upset averted!

In the only thrilling T20 International match, Team India narrowly escaped being the victim of an upset against Japan. India defeated Japan by 2 runs in the match played at Sano International Cricket Ground. Chasing the target of 33 runs set by India in the rain-affected match, the Japanese team could only score 30 runs after losing 3 wickets in 5 overs.

Due to heavy rain and wet outfield, the toss was delayed by two hours from the scheduled time. After this the match was made 5-5 overs. Indian captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and decided to bat first. The Indian team appeared to be struggling badly against the spin bowlers of Japan.

Abhishek Sharma returned to the pavilion without opening his account. At the same time, Sanju Samson was also seen struggling for runs and he was out after scoring 9 runs in 7 balls. Sanju could hit only one four in his innings. Ishan Kishan could also score only 3 runs after playing 6 balls. Captain Shreyas Iyer was also seen struggling to hit big shots and could score only 16 runs after facing 12 balls.

Iyer hit only one four in this innings. Tilak Verma remained unbeaten after scoring one run. Indian batsmen hit only two fours in the entire innings and not a single six was hit by the team. Charlie Hara-Hinze was Japan's most successful bowler and took 2 wickets for 17 runs. At the same time, Ibrahim Takahashi and Benjamin Ito-Davis took one wicket each.

Japan did not have a good start while chasing the target of 33 runs set by India. Along with bowling the first over very economically, Akshar Patel sent Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake to the pavilion on the score of just one run. Japan team could score only 2 runs in the first over.

Captain Shreyas Iyer handed over the responsibility of the second over to Washington Sundar. Sundar bowled well in this over and dismissed Ibrahim Takahashi on the score of 4 runs on the fourth ball of the over. Sundar spent a total of 6 runs including one four in this over.

Ravi Bishnoi proved to be expensive in the third over and he spent a total of 10 runs. He also failed to take any wicket in this over. In the fourth over, Washington Sundar spent 7 runs and sent Japan captain Kendall Kadowaki-Fleming to the pavilion on the score of 12 runs.

Japan needed 8 runs in the last over to win. Akshar gave 2 runs in the first two balls, but he bowled the third ball wide. However, Akshar bowled the next four balls at perfect pitch and did not give any chance to the Japanese batsmen to score boundaries.