India’s 200th T20I win came in a rain‑shortened thriller, edging Japan by two runs with just five overs each.
The match, cut to 5 overs due to monsoon showers, saw India 32/4, with Shreyas Iyer top‑scoring 16, while Axar Patel’s tight 1‑over spell, 2/13, sealed the win. Japan finished 30/3, their wickets falling at 2, 3 and 3.
The turning point was the third over, when Ravi Bishnoi’s 10‑run over left Japan at 13‑0, then Washington Sundar’s penultimate over pushed the chase to 26‑2. Axar’s final over, with tight yorkers, left Japan needing eight off six.
Iyer, who struggled to find footing, said, “The spinners were ruthless; we couldn’t find footing.” Board officials hailed the win as proof that India has "grown tremendously in the T20 format."
With this landmark, India heads to the upcoming series against Australia while Japan looks to regroup after a close defeat.