India survived a major scare from Japan to win the countries' historic first men's T20 international by two runs at the Sano International Cricket Ground on 22 September 2026.
Rain and a wet outfield reduced the match to five overs per side. India managed only 32/4, but their bowlers held Japan to 30/3 in a contest decided on the final delivery.
India vs Japan historic T20I score
India: 32/4 in 5 overs
Japan: 30/3 in 5 overs
Result: India won by 2 runs
Venue: Sano International Cricket Ground, Japan
Match: One-off T20I, Suzuki Cup
Japan's spinners restrict India to 32/4
India chose to bat but immediately found conditions difficult. Abhishek Sharma was dismissed without scoring, while Sanju Samson made nine and Ishan Kishan contributed three.
Captain Shreyas Iyer top-scored with 16 from 12 balls, giving India enough runs to defend after the top order struggled to accelerate. Japan spinner Charlie Hara-Hinze took two wickets as the hosts limited India to 32/4.
Japan take the chase to the final ball
Japan refused to be overwhelmed by India's international reputation. The hosts remained within reach of the target throughout the shortened chase and required eight runs from the last over.
The equation kept the match alive until the final delivery, but Japan finished on 30/3 and fell only two runs short of what would have been a landmark victory.
Axar Patel defends eight runs in the last over
Axar Patel was trusted with the final over and conceded only five runs. His control under pressure completed India's narrow defence after Japan had placed themselves in a genuine winning position.
Axar finished his two overs having conceded seven runs, a decisive contribution in such a low-scoring match.
Washington Sundar takes two wickets
Washington Sundar was India's leading wicket-taker with two dismissals. His strikes prevented Japan from building the uninterrupted partnership they needed in a five-over chase.
India's spin attack ultimately provided the control that the batting innings had lacked, allowing the visitors to escape with a two-run victory.
A historic first meeting between India and Japan
The match was the first men's international cricket contest between India and Japan. Even though rain reduced the game to 30 balls per innings, the close finish gave the occasion genuine competitive significance.
Japan's performance demonstrated the progress of cricket in the country and showed that the hosts could challenge an established Full Member in an extremely short contest.
Suzuki Cup and India-Japan sporting ties
The one-off match was staged as the Suzuki Cup and formed part of sporting celebrations linked to 75 years of diplomatic relations between India and Japan.
The fixture also supported cricket's wider development in East Asia by bringing an India international team to Sano for a match against Japan's national side.
Both teams now turn to the Asian Games
The historic T20I served as preparation for the men's cricket competition at the Asian Games 2026. India are scheduled to enter at the quarter-final stage, while Japan begin their campaign earlier in the tournament.
India leave Sano with the victory, but Japan's two-run defeat will also provide the hosts with confidence after pushing the visitors to the final ball.
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Match result and score details checked after the game ended on 22 September 2026.