India survived a two-run thriller against Japan in a five-over T20 International at Sano on September 22, 2026, in the first-ever meeting between the two nations. Persistent rain forced the match into a shortened format, with both teams batting five overs each. India posted 32 for 4, while Japan managed 30 for 3 in response, making for a tense finish in a contest that marked the opening event under Sport 75, celebrating 75 years of India-Japan diplomatic relations.
On a tricky surface that turned sharply from the opening deliveries, Japan’s bowling attack restricted India effectively through an all-spinner approach. Shreyas Iyer, the Indian captain, was named Player of the Match for his decisive contribution with the bat. His performance proved critical in a low-scoring encounter shaped by the pitch and weather conditions.
“The attitude and approach the Japanese team showed today was impeccable and kudos to them. Their approach was outstanding. So I’m sure that they are on the right track right now and they’ve got a couple more matches against Afghanistan and Nepal [at the Asian Games]; they would be brilliant,” said Iyer as quoted by Cricinfo.
Iyer’s 16 off 12 balls proved decisive in the contest. The Indian top order struggled against spin bowling, with Abhishek Sharma departing without scoring off the first ball, Sanju Samson making 9, Ishan Kishan contributing 3 and Tilak Varma finishing on 1 not out. India’s batting unit managed only two fours across the five overs and did not hit a single six. Iyer was the sole Indian batter to reach double figures, underlining his importance to the team’s total.
Why the wide reversal in Japan vs India was correct
A five over game can go anywhere: Iyer
Japan captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming scored 12 off 12 balls in his team’s chase, but Japan could only accumulate 30 for 3 despite a competitive effort. Japan also struck two fours during their innings, showing they matched India’s batting output in boundary count despite falling short by two runs. All ten overs bowled by Japan were delivered by spinners, reflecting a deliberate strategy on the turning pitch.
“I decided when I got in that it’s important that I need to take singles and doubles and rotate the strike as much as possible. I also interacted with the batsman who came in with me, but it was difficult to do that as well. But honestly speaking, I just decided that I would be playing on the merit of the ball and plan accordingly,” said Iyer.
“If the ball is turning and rolling a bit, I’ll just use the pace of the ball and hold myself at the back and see to it that I match for singles and doubles. So that worked out pretty well. You see, I always keep saying that five-over game, it can go anywhere. It doesn’t matter how good a team you are, because the opposition is also competitive,” he added.
It was an exciting game with Japanese team: Iyer
India’s next assignment was the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, where Iyer led the team in matches beginning on September 28 in Nisshin. The captain had experienced mixed fortunes in his T20I captaincy tenure, having lost series against Ireland and England but secured victories against Zimbabwe and Afghanistan. Iyer expressed his commitment to the role and his focus on delivering success at the continental tournament.
“It’s a pleasure to be leading the Indian team. With the performances you’ve seen in the past, winning so many trophies, it’s a great responsibility. But with responsibility comes pressure and I feel that I thrive under pressure. So it’s a great role for me and I always feel that the captaincy is something that gets the best out of me. So always loving to explore this,” said Iyer.
“It was a long travel for us to Sano; it took us three hours to reach here but at the back of our minds, we had only one thing that we want to play the game, excite the crowd who has come to see the game and the supporters who’ve been striving to see to it that this match was organised. Even though it was five overs, I personally feel that at least we got a game to see and to honestly experience such a great performance from the Japanese team and also Indian players as well. So yeah, overall, I feel it was an exciting game and yeah, honestly, they were also brilliant with their performances,” he concluded.
