Sano (Japan): Unheralded Japanese spinners choked a star-studded Indian batting line-up on a rank turner to restrict them to a below-par 32 for 4 in the rain-truncated five-over-a-side one-off T20 International Tuesday.
The match was curtailed due to inclement weather, which left the pitch with underlying moisture that ultimately helped in providing appreciable turn for left-arm spinner Charlie Hara Hinze (2/17) and off-spinner Ibrahim Takahashi (1/13).
Abhishek Sharma (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 Iyer (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 home team plays all its home games.
