India survive Japan scare, win by two runs in rain hit match
India survived a genuine scare against Japan at the Sano International Cricket Ground, needing a dramatic finish to secure a two run victory in a rain shortened T20 encounter reduced to just five overs per side.
Having won the toss and elected to bat, India found themselves in immediate trouble as Japan's spinners exploited a wet outfield and a pitch offering considerable turn to dismantle the star studded batting order almost from the very first ball.
Opener Abhishek Sharma departed for a golden duck, while established names Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan managed only 9 and 3 respectively as India's innings unravelled under sustained pressure from an unfamiliar Japanese attack.
Shreyas Iyer top scored with a modest 16, though it proved nowhere near enough as India stumbled to just 32 for 4 from their five overs, a total that suddenly looked distinctly beatable against a Japanese side with nothing to lose.
Chasing 33 for victory, Japan pushed India's experienced spin trio of Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Ravi Bishnoi close throughout the reply, keeping themselves firmly in contention as the match moved towards a tense finish.
With eight runs required off the final over, bowled by Axar, the contest built towards genuine drama, with every delivery carrying significant weight given how narrow India's margin for error had become by that stage.
Axar conceded just a single run from his first two deliveries before bowling what was initially called a wide on the third ball, and a second wide on the fourth prompted a heated exchange between the bowler and the umpire.
Following a discussion between the two on field officials, the second wide call was ultimately overturned, leaving Japan needing four runs off the final legal delivery of the innings to complete an unlikely victory.
Japan could only manage a single from that final ball, finishing on 30 for 3 as India held on to seal victory by two runs, a result that also confirmed India's 200th win in men's T20I history.