Cricket minnows Japan, ranked 41st in the world, came perilously close to a historic upset last week, taking T20 world champions India to the final ball. The Japanese side, which has never reached the T20 World Cup qualifying tournament, needed just three more runs to beat the illustrious visitors in a curtailed match where India had set a target of 33.
The brief but incident-packed meeting in Sano, north of Tokyo, almost didn't happen. Hours before the match, it looked like it would fall victim to Typhoon Dujuan. About 200 volunteers worked through the night to clear water from the pitch and outfield, which had resembled a lake, after the typhoon swept north.
The historic fixture was the result of a series of coincidences involving politicians, cricket administrators, and a Sri Lankan groundsman. Naoki Alex Miyaji, chief executive of Japan's cricket association, saw an opportunity to promote the sport when cricket was added to the 2026 Asian Games schedule in Aichi-Nagoya. Political lobbying, including an agreement signed by Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, helped secure the match.
Concerns about the cost were eased when Suzuki Motors agreed to be the main sponsor. Tickets, priced at ¥10,000 (£48), sold out in three hours, with many purchased by Japan's large Indian community. The match, slashed to five overs apiece due to the wet outfield, was ultimately played in front of 2,149 spectators.