The Japan vs India cricket match brought the two teams together for a historic T20I in Japan on September 22, 2026. India secured a two-run win in a rain-affected game that was reduced to five overs per side. India scored 32/4 before Japan finished its chase at 30/3. The match also attracted attention because it marked the first men’s international cricket meeting between India and Japan. This page covers the complete India vs Japan cricket score, match result, scorecard, playing XI, team players and key performances. It also includes the latest Asian Games schedule for both teams.
Japan vs India Cricket Score
India won the one-off T20I against Japan by two runs at Sano International Cricket Ground. The match was shortened to five overs per side because of the weather conditions.
| Team | Score | Result |
| India | 32/4 | Won by 2 runs |
| Japan | 30/3 | Lost by 2 runs |
India vs Japan Cricket Match Details
The match was played on September 22, 2026, in Sano, Japan. It was the first men’s international cricket meeting between the two countries, adding significance to an otherwise unusual five-over contest.
| Match | Japan vs India, One-off T20I |
| Date | September 22, 2026 |
| Venue | Sano International Cricket Ground, Sano, Japan |
| Format | T20I |
| Overs per side | 5 |
| India Captain | Shreyas Iyer |
| Japan Captain | Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming |
| Toss | India won and elected to bat |
| Player of the Match | Shreyas Iyer |
What Happened in the Japan vs India Match?
Rain and a wet outfield affected the original playing conditions, leaving both teams with only five overs to make an impact. India batted first, but Japan’s bowlers kept the scoring under control and prevented the innings from producing a large total.
The shortened format also changed how Japan approached its chase. With only 33 runs required, the hosts had a realistic opportunity to finish the match ahead, but India’s bowlers picked up three wickets and restricted the scoring in the final stages. The match went down to a two-run margin, making it a close finish despite the extremely short format.
Japan vs India Key Performances
The shortened game produced several individual contributions that decided the result. Shreyas Iyer was India’s main contributor with the bat, while Washington Sundar made an impact with the ball.
- Shreyas Iyer: Scored 16 runs and was named Player of the Match.
- Washington Sundar: Took two wickets during Japan’s chase.
- Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming: Top-scored for Japan with 12 runs.
- Charlie Hara-Hinze: Took two wickets for Japan during India’s innings.
India vs Japan Cricket Scorecard
The complete scorecard provides the individual batting and bowling figures from both five-over innings.
India Batting
- Shreyas Iyer: 16 (12)
- Sanju Samson: 9 (7)
- Ishan Kishan: 3 (6)
- Tilak Varma: 1* (3)
- Shivam Dube: 0* (1)
- Abhishek Sharma: 0 (1)
- Extras: 3
- Total: 32/4 in 5 overs
Japan Bowling
- Charlie Hara-Hinze: 2–0–17–2
- Ibrahim Takahashi: 2–0–13–1
- Benjamin Ito-Davis: 1–0–2–1
Japan Batting
- Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming: 12
- Benjamin Ito-Davis: 9*
- Ibrahim Takahashi: 4
- Alexander Shirai-Patmore: 2*
- Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake: 1
- Extras: 2
- Total: 30/3 in 5 overs
India Bowling
- Washington Sundar: 2–0–13–2
- Axar Patel: 2–0–7–0
- Ravi Bishnoi: 1–0–10–0
Japan Cricket Team Players
Japan’s squad for the historic India T20I and its 2026 Asian Games campaign included 15 players. Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming was named captain. The squad features batters, wicketkeepers and all-rounders who have represented Japan in international cricket.
- Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming (Captain)
- Charlie Hara-Hinze
- Benjamin Ito-Davis
- Alester Kadowaki-Fleming
- Kohei Kubota
- Jake Kusuda-Nairn
- Wataru Miyauchi
- Reo Sakurano-Thomas
- Alex Shirai-Patmore
- Shoma Sugaya-Slater
- Declan Suzuki-McComb
- Tsuyoshi Takada
- Ibrahim Takahashi
- Makoto Taniyama
- Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake
India Cricket Team Players
India’s squad for the 2026 Asian Games includes several players who featured in the Japan T20I. The squad was subsequently updated following player availability and injury-related changes. Shreyas Iyer is the captain, while Tilak Varma has been named vice-captain.
- Shreyas Iyer (Captain)
- Abhishek Sharma
- Sanju Samson (Wicketkeeper)
- Ishan Kishan (Wicketkeeper)
- Shivam Dube
- Tilak Varma (Vice-Captain)
- Axar Patel
- Washington Sundar
- Vipraj Nigam
- Ravi Bishnoi
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Arshdeep Singh
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
- Yash Thakur
Japan vs India Key Players
Several players stood out during the five-over match. Iyer led India’s batting, while Sundar produced the most wickets for India. For Japan, captain Kadowaki-Fleming top-scored and Hara-Hinze took two wickets.
Shreyas Iyer
Shreyas Iyer scored 16 runs from 12 balls and was India’s highest scorer. He was also named Player of the Match.
Washington Sundar
Washington Sundar took two wickets for India during Japan’s chase. His spell helped India defend its small total.
Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming
Kadowaki-Fleming captained Japan and scored 12 runs, making him the team’s highest scorer in the match.
Ibrahim Takahashi
Ibrahim Takahashi scored four runs for Japan and also took one Indian wicket during the first innings.
Japan vs India Asian Games Schedule
The next major tournament involving both teams is the 2026 Asian Games, rather than the Asia Cup. The men’s T20 cricket competition is being held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Japan began its campaign in the group stage, while India entered the men’s competition at the quarterfinal stage as one of the seeded teams.
Japan’s Asian Games Matches
Japan is in Group A alongside Afghanistan and Nepal. Its group-stage fixtures determine whether it advances to the knockout stage.
- September 24, 2026: Afghanistan vs Japan
- September 26, 2026: Japan vs Nepal
Japan needs to finish among the top two teams in Group A to progress to the quarterfinal stage.
India’s Asian Games Match
India enters the men’s competition at the quarterfinal stage. Its opponent will be determined by the final Group A standings.
- September 28, 2026: India vs Group A second-placed team
The opponent will therefore not be confirmed until the group-stage matches are completed.
Can India and Japan Play Again at the Asian Games?
India and Japan could meet again during the Asian Games, but another match between them is not confirmed. Japan would first need to qualify from Group A, after which the knockout-stage results would determine whether the two teams are drawn to meet again.
Japan vs India Cricket Match Facts
The first men’s international meeting between the teams produced a close finish despite the shortened format. Here are the main facts from the match.
- India won by 2 runs.
- India scored 32/4 in five overs.
- Japan scored 30/3 in five overs.
- The match was reduced to five overs per side.
- Shreyas Iyer scored 16 runs for India.
- Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming scored 12 runs for Japan.
- Washington Sundar took 2 wickets for India.
- Charlie Hara-Hinze took 2 wickets for Japan.
- Shreyas Iyer was named Player of the Match.
- The match was played at the Sano International Cricket Ground.
- It was the first men’s international cricket match between India and Japan.
Conclusion
The Japan vs India cricket match ended with India securing a two-run victory in a rain-shortened five-over T20I. India scored 32/4 before restricting Japan to 30/3.
The two teams are also part of the 2026 Asian Games in Japan. Japan is competing in the group stage, while India enters at the quarterfinal stage, meaning another India-Japan meeting remains possible depending on the tournament results.
FAQs
Q1. Who won the Japan vs India cricket match?
India won the Japan vs India T20I by two runs. India scored 32/4 in five overs, while Japan finished at 30/3.
Q2. What was the India vs Japan cricket score?
India scored 32/4 in five overs, while Japan scored 30/3 in its five-over innings.
Q3. Who was the top scorer in Japan vs India?
Shreyas Iyer was India’s top scorer with 16 runs from 12 balls. Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming was Japan’s highest scorer with 12 runs.
Q4. Who took the most wickets in India vs Japan?
Washington Sundar took two wickets for India, while Charlie Hara-Hinze also took two wickets for Japan.
Q5. Who is the captain of the Japan cricket team?
Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming is the captain of Japan’s men’s cricket team.