India, Sept. 22 -- Seasoned spinner Axar Patel's experience helped India survive a scare as they edged past Japan by two runs in a rain-curtailed one-off T20 International here on Tuesday.

With the match reduced to five overs a side due to inclement weather, the underlying moisture on the pitch produced more turn than expected and narrowed the apparent gulf in experience between the two teams.

India managed only 32 for four in their five overs, hitting just three boundaries, before Japan came close to pulling off a major upset.

Ravi Bishnoi conceded 10 runs in the third over and Washington Sundar gave away seven in the penultimate over, leaving Japan needing eight runs from the final over.

Axar, however, conceded only seven runs in hi...