India hold off Japan in final-ball thriller at Sano

Japan pushed world champion India to the last delivery of their rain-shortened one-off T20 in Sano before falling just short.

India edged past Japan in a one-off T20 international in Sano that was shortened to five overs per side by rain. Japan, chasing 32, reached 30/3 before the outcome was decided on the final ball of the innings.

Japan's spinners had earlier dismantled the Indian top order, reducing the world champions to 32/4 in their allotted five overs. Abhishek Sharma fell for a first-ball duck, while Sanju Samson made 9 and Ishan Kishan 3.

Shreyas Iyer was the only Indian batter to reach double figures, scoring 16 off 12 balls. India managed just two boundaries and no sixes in the Powerplay.

Japan kept the chase alive into the final over, needing a boundary to win. Axar Patel conceded only a single off the last delivery, sealing a narrow victory for India and leaving the Japanese players distraught after coming within one blow of a landmark upset.