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India and Japan produced a closely fought contest in the Suzuki Cup, with rain reducing the men's T20I to just five overs per side.
Batting first, India managed 32/4 in five overs. Shreyas Iyer top-scored with 16 runs from 12 balls, while Sanju Samson contributed 9 from seven deliveries and Ishan Kishan added three.
Japan's bowlers kept India's scoring under control, with Charles Hinze taking 2/17 and Ben Ito-Davis claiming 1/2.
Chasing 33, Japan started strongly but struggled to maintain the required scoring rate. Captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming led the scoring with 12 runs from 12 balls, while Ibrahim Takahashi made four and Alexander Shirai-Patmore scored two.
India's bowlers then produced enough control to defend the modest total. Washington Sundar finished with 2/13 from two overs, while Axar Patel conceded only seven runs from his two overs.
Japan eventually reached 30/3, falling just two runs short of India's total.
The Suzuki Cup was organised as a special India-Japan cricket match at Sano International Cricket Ground. The Japan Cricket Association described the fixture as a major event for Japanese cricket and part of celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Japan.
The fixture also gave Japanese players an opportunity to face India's men's national team on home soil. The Japan Cricket Association had described it as the first time India's men's national team would play a friendly match in Japan.
Despite the shortened format, Japan pushed India close, with the final margin of just two runs highlighting how competitive the five-over contest became.
The match also comes shortly before Japan's men's cricket campaign at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, where Japan is scheduled to face Afghanistan and Nepal in the group stage.
