India edges Japan in low-scoring rain-affected thriller; Aiyar cites difficult pitch

India scraped past Japan by two runs in a rain-affected encounter, with captain Shreyas Aiyar pointing to the difficult pitch conditions as a major factor in the low-scoring affair. The match was reduced to five overs per side due to rainfall, significantly limiting both teams' scoring opportunities.

Batting first in the truncated format, India struggled to build momentum on what Aiyar described as a challenging wicket. The hosts mustered only 32 for four from their allocation, with several key batsmen failing to make an impact. Abhishek Sharma departed without opening his account, while wicketkeeper-batsmen Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan also had disappointing outings.

Aiyar himself played a more aggressive hand, scoring 16 runs off just 12 deliveries to provide some impetus to India's innings during the difficult batting conditions. His innings proved crucial in setting a competitive total on what proved to be a bowler-friendly surface.

Japan's reply fell short by two runs, with the visiting team unable to handle the testing conditions and India's bowling attack. The victory underscored India's adaptability in adverse weather situations and the importance of pitch awareness in T20 cricket's shortest formats.