India Hold Off Japan by Two Runs to Defend 32 in Rain-Cut T20I
The short version
- India beat Japan by two runs in a five-over T20I in Sano, defending 32-4.
- A wide call against Alexander Shirai-Patmore's reverse hits was overturned by square-leg umpire Chris Brown.
- It is the lowest total successfully defended in a five-over T20.
- Charlie Hara-Hinze took 2-17 for Japan; Washington Sundar took 2-13 for India.
A five-over contest in Sano saw India successfully defend 32-4, the lowest total ever protected in a match of that length, after a wide-ball controversy in the final over.
India beat Japan by two runs in a rain-affected five-over T20 international in Sano, Japan, defending a total of 32-4 and restricting the hosts to 30-3. The victory gives India the record for the lowest score successfully defended in a five-over T20 match. Persistent rain over the previous two days and a lengthy delay before play could begin reduced the game to five overs per side.
The finish turned on an umpiring dispute. With Japan requiring eight from the last over, Alexander Shirai-Patmore twice missed reverse-hit attempts off Axar Patel, and umpire Chris Thurgate of Japan signaled a wide both times. Square-leg umpire Chris Brown of New Zealand, a member of the ICC Elite Panel, then consulted Thurgate, and the second call was reversed. Under ICC guidelines, once a batter plays a reverse or switch hit, both sides of the wicket count as off side for wides, making the reversal correct. Japan's target went back to six needed off four deliveries.
Axar conceded seven runs in that final over to close out the match. The pitch was slow and sticky, the outfield heavy, spinners bowled every one of the 10 overs, and only four boundaries were struck in the entire game. Abhishek Sharma fell to the first ball of India's innings, and Iyer's 16 off 12 was the only double-digit knock for the visitors.
Japan's 17-year-old left-arm spinner Charlie Hara-Hinze took 2-17, while Washington Sundar returned 2-13 for India. Japan's chase stumbled early at 8-2 after two overs, with Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake run out by a direct hit from Ishan at deep square leg, but recoveries of 10 off Ravi Bishnoi's over and seven off Sundar's set up the tense finish.
