Sano [Japan], September 22 (ANI): Japan captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming said the team felt a sense of pride after pushing “best team in the world” India to the last ball of the match in their thrilling five-over T20I, despite suffering a narrow two-run defeat in Sano on Tuesday.
India and Japan played a thrilling, rain-shortened five-over one-off T20I, with Axar Patel defending eight runs in the final over to seal a two-run win after Japan restricted the reigning world champions to 32/4. Notably, the match was held to mark 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Kadowaki-Fleming said the team was proud of pushing India to the final ball despite the narrow two-run defeat. He praised the wider cricket community for making the match possible, said the team believed “anything is possible”, acknowledged the challenge posed by Axar Patel and Ravi Bishnoi, and added that Japan would rest and prepare for their next game after a 36-hour turnaround.
Notably, Japan will now shift their focus to their Asian Games 2026 match against Afghanistan in Nisshin on Thursday.
“When it gets that tough, it gets a little tough to take. The fact that we were able to run the best team in the world to the last ball… Proud of the cricket group and broader community. The people working on this ground through the whole night made this game happen. Proud of not only the team but the broader community. Anything is possible was the attitude. Axar, Bishnoi bowling on our wicket, we knew it was going to be a challenge, but at 6.5 RPO, you know your mind wanders… A couple of moments will wander in our mind on a long bus ride. It’s a feeling of pride. Look, he’s progressing extremely well with bat and ball on the field; we weren’t surprised with how it went today. We’ve got a 36-hour turnaround now; we’ll rest up and prepare for another Full Mumber,” he said at the post-match presentations.
Coming to the match, Japan’s bowlers impressed on a sluggish Sano surface, restricting India to 32/4 in 5 overs. Shreyas Iyer top-scored with 16, while Japan’s Charlie Hara-Hinze claimed 2/17 and Ibrahim Takahashi took one wicket. Abhishek Sharma was dismissed for a golden duck, while Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan also fell cheaply.
Chasing 33, Japan slipped to 7/2 before Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming and Benjamin Ito-Davis steadied the innings. Washington Sundar dismissed Kadowaki-Fleming for 12 in the fourth over, leaving Japan needing eight from the final six balls. Axar Patel then held his nerve to restrict Japan to 30/3, sealing a narrow two-run win for India. Washington finished with two wickets and was India’s standout bowler. (ANI)
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