Japan vs India , One-off T20I at Sano International Cricket Ground, Sano , IND in JPN, Only T20I, 2026 , Sep 22, 2026 Scorecard

4.6: Axar Patel to Shirai-Patmore, Swings hard, but cannot connect cleanly. Japan were so, so, so, close to create history, but unfortunately, it wasn't to be. INDIA WIN BY 2 RUNS! Though not before being made to huff and puff for it. Fuller in length, on the middle and leg stump line. Shirai-Patmore goes low and goes for the sweep but gets it off the inside half of the bat, and the ball rolls to short fine leg for a single only. What a thriller this turned out to be at Sano! And what a way for Japan to introduce themselves on debut against India. Handshakes out in the middle now, and there's visible relief on Indian faces at having dodged a serious upset. Japan, for all the heartbreak of the defeat, will walk away knowing they pushed the T20I champions to the brink. All told, a sensational game of cricket.

4.5: Axar Patel to Benjamin Ito-Davis, Goes flatter and shorter, outside off, Benjamin Ito-Davis stands tall and hammers it wide of long off for a single. 4 runs needed from the final ball. Any dramas?

4.4: Axar Patel to Shirai-Patmore, Full and outside off, quicker one. Shirai-Patmore gets down down on a knee and slogs it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

4.3: Axar Patel to Shirai-Patmore, WIDE? Another extra conceded? Oh dear! Down leg, on a length, with a mile full of turn. Shirai-Patmore goes for the reverse sweep once more but fails to make contact. Wide is signalled again, and this time it is Axar who is absolutely fuming at the call, protesting that the batter had looked to switch his stance fairly early, well before the ball was even released. Belatedly, though, the decision gets overturned, and it is ruled a fair delivery after all.

4.3: Axar Patel to Shirai-Patmore, WIDE! Samson is not very impressed with the decision as it came a tad belatedly. Good length, down leg, and turning further away. Shirai-Patmore goes for the reverse sweep but is beaten on the edge. 

4.2: Axar Patel to Benjamin Ito-Davis, On a length, just outside off. Ito-Davis mistimes his lofted shot toward long off, and manages just the one.

4.1: Axar Patel to Benjamin Ito-Davis, Slides in on a length, on middle and leg, and turns away with bounce. Benjamin Ito-Davis has a big hoick across the line, looking to loft it over the leg side but misses and the ball passes over the stumps.

3.6: Washington Sundar to Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming, OUT! CAUGHT! The Japanese skipper falls. Washington darts this one in, quick through the air and landing just outside off. Fleming looks to muscle it back over the bowler's head once more, but doesn't connect the way he wants to, and the ball skies off the leading edge, straight into the safe hands of short third where Yash Thakur takes a dolly. Japan are 25/3, needing 8 runs from 6 balls.

3.5: Washington Sundar to Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming, Beaten! Sharp turn, on a length, outside off, Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming tries to play the reverse sweep but gets comprehensively beaten.

3.4: Washington Sundar to Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming, Uppish but lands safely! Quicker and flatter, shorter on off, Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming lofts it off the toe end of the bat, over mid off. Tilak Varma runs over his right shoulder and puts in a dive to pluck the ball but it falls out of his reach. The batters scamper through for the second run. 8 runs needed from 8 balls.

3.3: Washington Sundar to Benjamin Ito-Davis, Stump-to-stump line, spinning in and around middle, Benjamin Ito-Davis gets a bit crouched and pulls it to deep square leg for a single.

3.2: Washington Sundar to Benjamin Ito-Davis, On a shorter length, on middle, Benjamin Ito-Davis lofts it over mid on. Tilak Varma runs to his left to cut it by palming the ball in before the ropes at long on. Two more runs taken. Good hustle between the wickets. 11 needed from 10 balls for Japan.

3.1: Washington Sundar to Benjamin Ito-Davis, In the air... safe! Good work there in the deep. Good length on middle stump. Benjamin drags it away across the line, finding the gap to the left of deep backward square leg. Bishnoi dives but can't get a hand on it, and they run two.

2.6: Ravi Bishnoi to Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming, A short delivery on the stumps, Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming stands tall and flat-bats it wide of long on for a couple of runs.

2.5: Ravi Bishnoi to Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming, FOUR! Goes past the fielder! Clever shot from the skipper. Too quick on a length, outside the off stump. Kendel shuffles outside off and plays the scoop shot over the keeper's head. The man from deep fine leg runs across and dives but his effort goes in vain as the ball seeps into the fence.

2.4: Ravi Bishnoi to Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming, A direct hit at the bowling end! But there is no third umpire review available to check. Fuller, a googly, outside off. Kadowaki-Fleming chops it away to short cover and they rush through for a single. Iyer swoops in to cut it off and has a shy at the bowler's end, hitting the stumps perfectly. India go up in appeal for the run out which is turned down by the umpire, it seems. The ball ricochets away to deep mid-wicket, and the batters cash in for two runs.

2.4: Ravi Bishnoi to Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming, WIDE! Miles outside off, on a length, Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming throws his bat at it to access the off side but the ball keeps drifting away and breaches the tramline.

2.3: Ravi Bishnoi to Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming, Full and on the leg stump, another googly by Ravi. Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming employs the reverse sweep but misses and the ball hits his thigh pad before rolling to the right of Samson.

2.2: Ravi Bishnoi to Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming, Drifts it far outside off and this is the googly that outfoxes the left-hander. Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming looks to smash it away but misses to connect.

2.1: Ravi Bishnoi to Benjamin Ito-Davis, Short and quick, outside off with a massive away turn. Benjamin Ito-Davis fetches it and drags it down to long on for a single. No timing whatsoever.