Japan and Nepal are set to face each other in the Asian Games 2026 at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin. The two teams have had contrasting starts to their campaigns, with Nepal beginning the tournament with a victory while Japan are searching for their first points after a heavy defeat.
Nepal are currently second in Group A after their five-wicket win over Afghanistan. Sundeep Jora was their leading run-scorer with 34 runs in the match, while Kushal Bhurtel has picked up four wickets so far. Rohit Paudel also played an important role in the successful chase and will be one of the key batters for Nepal.
Japan, meanwhile, are at the bottom of the group after losing their opening game against Afghanistan by 48 runs. Reo Sakurano-Thomas leads their scoring charts with 23 runs, while Ibrahim Takahashi has taken two wickets. Japan will need a much-improved batting performance after being bowled out for just 81 in their previous match.
JPN vs NEP, Asian Games 2026: Match Details
- Date and Time: September 26, 9:00 AM Local / 12:00 AM GMT / 5:30 AM IST
- Venue: Korogi Sports Park, Nisshin
JPN vs NEP Head-to-Head Record in T20Is
Matches Played: 1 | JPN won: 0 | NEP won: 1
Korogi Sports Park Pitch Report
The surface at Korogi Sports Park is expected to offer a reasonably balanced contest between the batters and bowlers. Fast bowlers could find some movement with the new ball, particularly during the morning period when there could be some moisture or cloud cover around the venue.
Building partnerships and rotating the strike should be important for the batting sides. Once batters adjust to the pace of the surface, they could look to increase the scoring rate in the latter stages of the innings. A total around 140-150 could prove competitive at this venue. However, teams will need to make the most of their opportunities with the bat, particularly during the powerplay, while keeping wickets in hand for the final overs.
Squads
Japan: Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming (c), Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake, Reo Sakurano-Thomas, Benjamin Ito-Davis, Alexander Shirai-Patmore (w), Ibrahim Takahashi, Charlie Hara-Hinze, Wataru Miyauchi, Declan Suzuki-McComb, Makoto Taniyama, Shoma Sugaya-Slater, Alester Kadowaki-Fleming, Kohei Kubota, Tsuyoshi Takada, Jake Kusuda-Nairn
Nepal: Dipendra Singh Airee (c), Aasif Sheikh (w), Kushal Bhurtel, Rohit Paudel, Gulsan Jha, Kushal Malla, Lokesh Bam, Sundeep Jora, Karan KC, Sandeep Lamichhane, Lalit Rajbanshi, Sompal Kami, Aarif Sheikh, Nandan Yadav, Sher Malla
Also READ: Fans erupt as Nepal register historic win against Afghanistan in Asian Games 2026
JPN vs NEP, Asian Games 2026: Today’s Match Prediction
Case 1:
- JPN wins the toss and bowls first
- NEP’s powerplay score: 40-45
- NEP’s total score: 150-160
Case 2:
- NEP wins the toss and bowls first
- JPN’s powerplay score: 30-35
- JPN’s total score: 115-125
Match Result: Team bowling first to win the match.
Also READ: 9 Pakistan cricketers in Asian Games 2026 squad who did not play Asia Cup 2025 ft. Abdul Samad
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