India, Sept. 22 -- Japan came within two runs of producing an extraordinary result against India, turning what might have been expected to be a ceremonial exhibition into a contest of genuine tension. In a rain-reduced five-over match, Japan restricted Shreyas Iyer's side to 32 for four and then reached 30 for three in reply, remaining alive until the final delivery against vastly more experienced opposition.

The scoreline itself supplied an encouraging snapshot of cricket's gradual expansion into unfamiliar territory. Yet Sachin Tendulkar was struck by something beyond the boundary ropes - a small but thoughtful initiative that illustrated how Japan was attempting not merely to host cricket, but to introduce it properly to an audience s...