A second-string Afghanistan squad commenced their Asian Games 2026 journey with a clinical 48-run triumph over tournament hosts Japan. The Group A fixture, held at the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin this past Thursday, saw the Afghans defend a modest total of 129 runs, ultimately dismantling the Japanese batting order to secure a straightforward result. While Japan had recently demonstrated resilience by nearly upsetting India, they found themselves unable to counter the precise spin bowling deployed by the Afghan side.
Struggles and Recovery in the First Innings
Afghanistan’s batting innings proved challenging as they contended with disciplined spin from the home side. Opener Mohammad Akram managed to top-score for his team with 34 runs, though his partner Hassan Eisakhil struggled, departing for only 3 runs off 10 deliveries. Despite some boundary hitting from Karim Janat and Akram during the Powerplay, the scoring rate remained restrained. Following Janat’s dismissal in the 10th over and Akram’s subsequent exit to Benjamin Ito-Davis, the team looked to middle-order stability. Najibullah Zadran, returning to international action for the first time in two years, contributed 7 runs before being dismissed. The side found renewed momentum late in the innings as skipper Darwish Rasooli struck three boundaries in the 18th over, while Mohammad Ishaq provided an essential unbeaten 25, helping the team reach a final score of 129/6.
Dominant Afghan Bowling Performance
The pursuit of 130 began poorly for Japan when Abdullah Ahmadzai claimed a wicket in the very first over. Although Reo Sakurano-Thomas and captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming attempted to stabilize the chase, Nangeyalia Kharoti removed the captain before the conclusion of the Powerplay. Ito-Davis briefly threatened by striking boundaries against Kharoti, but the left-arm spinner cleaned him up for 17, triggering a dramatic collapse. The highlight of the match was undoubtedly Arab Gul Momand, who delivered a masterclass with his whippy action. The debutant leg-spinner recorded stunning figures of 4-2-8-4, including two consecutive double-wicket maidens in the 12th and 14th overs. By bowling 19 dot balls in total, Momand ensured that Japan’s position of 53/2 quickly dissolved into a losing cause at 63/8. The innings concluded at 81 all out with three balls remaining, as Kharoti polished off the tail. The report also notes that karim Janat and Akram picked up a few boundaries as Afghanistan managed 39 in the Powerplay but the scoring rate did not spike considerably enough. The report also notes that japan rallied on their spinners to keep Afghanistan quiet with the bat.
Match Summary
- Afghanistan: 129/6 in 20 overs (Mohammad Akram 34, Darwish Rasooli 29, Mohammad Ishaq 25*)
- Japan: 81 all out in 19.3 overs (Reo Sakurano-Thomas 23; Arab Gul Momand 4-8, Nangeyalia Kharoti 3-19, Abdullah Ahmadzai 2-13)
- Bowling leaders: Ibrahim Takahashi (2/19) and Shoma Sugaya-Slater (2/18) were the top performers for Japan, while Arab Gul Momand proved unplayable for the winning side.
