Cyclone 'Dozuan' in Japan poses threat to India-Japan match, training cancelled

The Indian cricket team is set to make history on Tuesday, September 22, by playing its first T20 match against Japan. This fixture, which will take place in the city of Sano, Japan, will serve to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries. For the Indian team, this match holds particular significance as part of preparations for the Asian Games, and it is being closely watched worldwide as part of the Suzuki Cup.

Before the game, a key question arose regarding the participation of Vaibhav Suryavanshi in the starting lineup. Despite impressive form in the recent three-match T20 series against Afghanistan, Vaibhav had to remain on the bench as the team management opted for the opening pair of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma. Head coach Gautam Gurwir previously stated that Vaibhav possesses talent but would have to wait his turn due to the priority given to senior players. Now, fans are eagerly awaiting whether Vaibhav will get a chance to debut in this one-off confrontation against Japan. Notably, head coach Gautam Gurwir did not accompany the team on this tour.

Indian Team Advantage

A colossal difference in class is observed when comparing the teams. India is a T20 World Champion, whereas the Japanese team ranks 41st in the world rankings. For Japan, this match represents a unique opportunity to share the field with some of the world's greatest players and boost the popularity of cricket in a country known as a baseball hub.

How to watch the match live

The Japanese team is led by Kendel Kadawaki-Fleming. Cricket fans can follow the game live through the FanCode applications and websites. Live television broadcasting will be available on the Star Sports network.

Weather Conditions

There is a possibility that rain could affect the course of the match. Given the weather conditions in Sano, rain is forecasted. Predictions of rain and stormy winds may slow down the outfield, creating an additional challenge for the athletes.

Team Lineups

Indian Team: Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Sanju Samson (Wicketkeeper), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Verma, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Yash Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Washington Sundar, Vipraj Nigam, and Vaibhav Suryavanshi.

Japanese Team: Kendel Kadawaki-Fleming (Captain), Shirai Patmore (Wicketkeeper), Alister Fleming, Benjamin Ito Davis, Rio Sakurano Thomas, Kohei Kubota, Wataru Miyauchi, Declan Suzuki, Ibrahim Takahashi, Makoto Taniama, Lachlan Yamamoto-Leck, Tsuyoshi Takada, Charlie Hara-Hinch, Shoma Slatter, Jack Kusuda-Nairan.

At the Asian Games, the Indian team secured a spot in the semi-finals, but the true story of this victory is far more interesting than just the score on the board. In Nisshin (Korogi Sports Park, Nisshin) on Tuesday, Indian spinners created such a complex game that the Japanese batsmen had no chance of scoring runs. As a result, the entire team was brought down to a score of 57 points, and India won with a score of 59 in five overs, taking eight wickets.

India bowled first and chose the bowling option, immediately putting pressure on Japan. The Japanese batsmen had no answer to the Indian bowling. The situation became clear within six overs, which constituted the powerplay. Japan accumulated only 24 points during this period, with only two fours being hit, and one of them came not from hitting the center of the bat, but from touching the periphery.

Advancing to the Semi-finals

The experienced spin attack of the Indian team completely stifled the Japanese offense. The most significant contribution came from left-arm spinner Shri Charni. In the seventh over, she dismissed two batsmen consecutively: Haruna Iwasaki and captain Mai Yanagidu, which was a serious blow to Japan's hopes. After this, Charni did not allow the Japanese batsmen to play freely and took four wickets, conceding only 10 runs. This was her best performance in the T20 format.

The rotation and bounce of the ball also complicated matters for the Japanese batsmen. The ball either hit the bat or suddenly soared upwards, surprising the players. Under these conditions, attempts to score big often ended in catches.

Shefali also demonstrated spinning mastery

Although the attacking stars appeared later, Shefali Verma also proved to be a strong bowler. Bowling off-spin, she took two wickets, conceding only 13 runs. She forced Ayaka Kato-Stafford and Shimako Kato to try and hit big, and both times the ball fell into the hands of Indian fielders. Japan scored only three fours in the innings, and no sixes were seen. This means that the Indian bowlers almost completely prevented the easy runs that could have been earned through fours and sixes over 20 overs.

Japan missed opportunities even while running

The problems were not only in the bowling. Between wicket falls, the Japanese batsmen also showed a lack of coordination while running, which allowed India to take several outs. For a team with very little experience playing against top teams and regular training, the pressure from the Indian bowling and fielding constantly increased.

India's target of 57 points became a formality

Nevertheless, the start of the Indian innings was also not easy. Gunalan Kamalini was dismissed without scoring any runs. Then Harti Fulmali returned to the bench, scoring only 6 runs. However, the target was so small that it did not significantly affect India.

Shefali's powerful attack

After this, Shefali Verma finished the match within five overs. She scored 40 runs without getting out, using only 15 balls. Her innings included 6 fours and 2 sixes. Thus, Shefali came close to Japan's total score.

Richa Ghosh also helped India reach the target, scoring 12 runs without getting out in just 6 balls. While the Japanese batsmen managed to score only 57 runs in 20 overs, India surpassed this barrier in just 30 balls. This is the essence of this quarter-final: the confrontation between Japan's inexperienced batting and India's experienced spin bowling was one-sided. India has now advanced to the women's cricket semi-finals of the Asian Games.

India has taken a 2-0 lead in the three-match T20 series against Afghanistan. The third and final match is scheduled for September 17 (Thursday) at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Following the securing of victory in the series, the probability of changes in the Indian team's squad increases.

15-year-old Vaivava Suryavanshi was not in India's starting lineup in the first two T20 matches. In the first match, Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma batted at the top order, and the Indian team retained the same starting six in the second match.

After the game, Shreyas Iyer stated that the team aims to give all players an opportunity to adapt to the field and conditions, as well as gain experience from practice matches. Therefore, there is a possibility of giving a chance to players who have been outside the squad so far, and some changes in the team combination may also occur.

Thus, the path is open for 'Baby Boss' to get a chance to play in the third T20 match. Previously, Vaivava demonstrated excellent performance in the T20 series against Zimbabwe, winning the 'Player of the Series' title with 151 runs. Despite this, he had to remain on the bench in the first two matches against Afghanistan.

Now all attention is focused on the match on September 17. If the team management decides to make changes, Vaivava may get his first chance to play an international T20 match in India.

Currently, Vaivava has scored 193 runs in 6 matches for India, with an average strike rate of 189.21, including two half-centuries. In these six games, Vaivava hit 16 fours and 14 sixes.