Sano, Sept 23:
India survived a major scare against Japan to win their historic T20I encounter by two runs on Tuesday, with Shreyas Iyer praising the Japanese team’s attitude after they pushed the world champions to the final moments.
India secured a narrow victory in a rain-affected match in Sano, with Japan showing considerable fight during their chase. The result gave India a win, but the contest proved far closer than many had expected.
Iyer, who led India in the match, acknowledged Japan’s approach and their refusal to surrender despite being under pressure. Japan kept the Indian bowlers under pressure and took the contest down to the final stages.
The match was significant as it was the first men’s T20I between India and Japan. Japan’s players displayed composure against an Indian side that entered the contest as reigning T20 world champions.
India’s bowling attack found it difficult to completely shut down the Japanese chase, with the hosts capitalising on opportunities and keeping themselves within striking distance.
The narrow margin also highlighted areas for India to work on, particularly in dealing with pressure situations and adapting to unfamiliar opponents and conditions.
The contest formed part of the build-up to the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, where cricket is among the sports being contested.
The Japanese performance drew praise beyond the Indian camp as well. Sachin Tendulkar also acknowledged Japan’s fighting spirit and the effort being made to introduce and grow cricket among Japanese spectators.
For Japan, the two-run defeat nevertheless represented a significant moment in the development of its men’s cricket programme, while India will take the narrow escape as valuable preparation for the bigger challenges ahead.