With the match being reduced to five overs-a-side due to inclement weather and the underlying moisture on the surface offering more than expected turn, the apparent gulf in talent and experience was seemingly bridged as India managed only 32 for 4 in five overs hitting a total of three boundaries.

In the end, the sizeable expat turnout gave a standing ovation to the Japanese team whose players came up to click selfies and get their jerseys signed by some of the biggest stars of world cricket.

Jasprit Bumrah was much in demand for autographs and photographs although he did not play. One of the Japanese players got a signed India jersey from Abhishek Sharma while skipper Shreyas Iyer also had some words of encouragement for the home team players.

“See I always keep saying five overs game, it can go anywhere. The attitude shown by the Japanese team today was impeccable. I’m sure they are on the right track. For us, it was a great practice on the wicket,” Iyer said at the end of the match.

For Japan skipper Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming, the very idea that they nearly pulled off a ‘Mission Impossible’ was worth savouring but one that will also force some introspection about missed chances.

“Proud of not only the team but the broader community. Anything is possible was the attitude. We knew it was going to be a challenge but at (an asking rate of) 6.5 RPO you know your mind wanders,” Kadowaki-Fleming said.

While defending the target, India looked in danger of being embarrassed when Ravi Bishnoi went for 10 runs in the third over and Washington Sundar (2/13) gave away seven in the penultimate over.

However, with eight runs required off the final over, Axar’s (2-0-7-0) experience of playing 150-plus IPL games came in handy as he didn’t give any room to Shirai Patmore and Benjamin Ito-Davis to chance their arms.

Japan ended on 30 for 3 and a shock defeat could be averted.

It also helped that rain had slowed down the outfield.

In the final over, umpire Chris Thurgate gave a few contentious wide ball calls when left-handed Patmore tried playing the reverse slog and missed twice.

An unhappy Indian skipper Shreyas Iyer complained to leg-umpire Chris Brown and the second wide was overturned.

While Japan deserve credit for giving India a scare, it was more about the rank turner that literally turned the match into a lottery.

Also, unlike the pitch in Aichi-Nagoya where the women’s team won gold medal with a power-packed batting show, the Sano surface didn’t offer conducive conditions which one associates with strokeplay in T20 cricket.

Earlier, unheralded Japanese spinners challenged the star-studded Indian batting line-up to restrict them to a below-par 32 for 4, which might have made skipper Shreyas Iyer question his decision to bat first.

The underlying moisture of the pitch helped in providing appreciable turn for left-arm spinner Charlie Hara Hinze (2/17) and off-spinner Ibrahim Takahashi (1/13).

Abhishek (0) was dismissed by Hara-Hinze after the Indian swashbuckler mis-timed a slog sweep while Takahashi flighted one to deceive Sanju Samson (10) in the air with his heave being taken at mid-wicket boundary.

Benjamin Ito-Davis (1/2) then got rid of Ishan Kishan (3), who was consistently trying to hit against the turn and ended up ballooning one to mid-off.

Shreyas (16) hit a boundary but the pitch was such that Indian players found it difficult to hit across the line.

The turn and the slowness of the track contributed to their downfall and the shorter duration of the match meant that there was no chance of a recovery.

Credit must be given to the three Japanese spinners and skipper Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming who understood the conditions at the venue where the hosts plays all their home games.

While there is an immense feeling of pride, Kadowaki-Fleming admitted that he would wonder for a while, “What if one of those big hits crossed the boundary ropes?”

“A couple of moments will wander on our mind on the long bus ride. It’s a feeling of pride. We’ve got a 36-hour turnaround now, we’ll rest up and prepare for another Full Mumber,” Kadowaki-Fleming said, referring to the asian Games campaign starting September 24.