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Like many cricket fans, Japan men's national cricket team captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming was also surprised when he learned about the India National Cricket Team playing eleven for the historic clash today (September 22) in Sano, because India played without Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
Ahead of the match, a Bihar-born Indian national cricket team cricketer, Abhishek Anand, explained how impactful Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was for them. Since making his national cricket team debut for the Indian cricket team in the T20I format, craze remains around the 15-year-old Indian batter.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was on the bench during the India vs Japan T20I match
While Team India kept Vaibhav Sooryavanshi on the bench, Japan, in their bold call, named their own young prodigy Charlie Hara-Hinze, 17, in the playing XI against the mighty India. The Shreyas Iyer-led team was way ahead on paper as they are the T20 World Cup champions, a nd Japan's rank in the ICC T20I rankings for the teams was 41st.
When probably everyone assumed to watch a one-sided match, the host nation put on a brilliant performance against the touring side. With both bat and ball, Japan performed well, and they came very close to defeating the high-profile Indian cricket team in the historic match. The match was held to celebrate the 75th year of the relationship between India and Japan.
India won the match by only 2 runs
Because of the adverse conditions, the 20-over match was reduced to a 5-over match. The conditions were not very favorable for a high-scoring match, as clouds were in the sky, and the ball was moving from the beginning. Because of the small over limit, there was not much difference in any of the innings of the game.
Batting first, India scored only 32 runs in five overs. Japan's 17-year-old talent, Charlie Hara-Hinze, took the wickets of Abhishek Sharma and captain Shreyas Iyer. Sharma returned with a golden duck. Japan went very close to surpassing the target score, but missed to win the match by only 2 runs, as they were restricted to 30 runs in five overs.
Japan captain questions the absence of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
Kendel thought the Indian cricket team would name the young sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in their playing combination. But they kept Vaibhav on the bench.
"We've known that Charlie's been around our men's squad for a couple of years. He's our 17-year-old prodigy. I was a little bit disappointed that the 15-year-old prodigy Vaibhav (Sooryavanshi) wasn't part of the team sheet today, but yeah, I mean, look, he's progressing extremely well, with the ball and in the field, and he showed that today, taking the first and the fifth," Japan captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming said this at the post-match ceremony when he was asked about Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
"I wasn't surprised by how he went, and for the other two as well, Ito-Davi and Takahashi, to be able to bowl to some of the best spin players in the world and to show their wares on this stage was great from them."
