IND Vs JAP: India Survive Scare In Hard-Fought 2-Run Win Over Japan In Historic T20I

Axar Patel defended 8 runs in the final over as India survived a massive scare to clinch a 2-run win against Japan in Sano on Tuesday. Opting to bat, the reigning world champions mustered 32/4 on a turning track. In response, Japan threatened to chase the score down, only for Axar to keep them at bay.

India crawl to 32/4

Shreyas Iyer then opted to bat first with the expectation of putting a huge score on board. However, the conditions on offer were far from ideal.

Shreyas Iyer top-scored for India with 16 and struck a boundary, but the sluggish nature of the pitch made it difficult for the Indian batters to play shots across the line. The combination of sharp turn and a slow surface proved decisive, while the abbreviated format gave India little opportunity to recover.

Axar spins India to win

Like Japan, India turned to their spinners to guide them to victory. Axar Patel bowled a tight first over before Shreyas Iyer turned to Washington Sundar and Ravi Bishnoi. Bishnoi bowled a 10-run over to reduce the equation to just 8 from the last over.

Axar bowled two wides to bring the equation down to Japan needing 5 runs from 4 deliveries. The left-arm spinner kept his nerve and delivered the win, with India avoiding a massive embarassment.