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Former Japan Minister Praises Cricket Team After Narrow Loss to India in Historic T20I
M
Moneycontrol•23-09-2026, 19:35
Former Japan Minister Praises Cricket Team After Narrow Loss to India in Historic T20I
- •Former Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono praised Japan's cricket team for their spirited performance against India in a five-over T20I.
- •Kono initially expected India to win comfortably but was impressed by Japan's competitive display in the rain-affected match.
- •India secured a dramatic two-run victory, restricting Japan to 30/3 while defending 32/4 in the five-over contest.
- •The match celebrated 75 years of diplomatic relations between India and Japan, highlighting cultural exchange through sport.
- •Kono expressed hope that cricket's inclusion in the Olympics would boost its popularity and provide future opportunities for the Japanese team.
Key Questions Answered
In the rain-affected five-over match, Japan's bowlers restricted India to 32/4, but India ultimately secured a dramatic two-run victory by holding Japan to 30/3 in response.
The match was organized as part of celebrations marking 75 years of diplomatic relations between India and Japan.
Taro Kono stated that he initially expected India to win comfortably, but he was highly impressed by Japan's spirited and surprisingly close contest against the reigning world champions.
