A youthful Afghanistan side successfully launched their 2026 Asian Games cricket campaign at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin this Thursday. Facing the host nation Japan in a Group A encounter, the visitors secured a comfortable 48-run victory. While the match initially threatened to be a close contest due to disciplined Japanese bowling, leg-spinner Arab Gul Momand delivered a masterclass performance to dismantle the opposition, claiming impressive figures of 4-2-8-4 as Japan was dismissed for 81 runs.
Struggles and Recovery with the Bat
The Japanese bowling unit utilized spin effectively early on, suppressing the Afghan scoring rate. Debuting opener Mohammad Akram managed to anchor the innings, contributing a team-high 34 runs, but his partner Hassan Eisakhil struggled, managing only 3 runs off 10 deliveries. Despite finding boundaries during the Powerplay, Afghanistan reached only 39 runs before the scoring momentum stalled. After losing Karim Janat and seeing Akram depart following a promising start against Benjamin Ito-Davis, the Afghans found themselves in a precarious position at 84/4 after 16 overs.
Late Acceleration Saves the Total
Captain Darwish Rasooli proved vital in the final stages, hitting three consecutive fours in the 18th over to inject much-needed energy into the scorecard. Mohammad Ishaq also played a pivotal role, hammering a quick-fire unbeaten 25 that included a six and a four in the 19th over. Although Shoma Sugaya-Slater claimed two late wickets during the final over, Afghanistan reached a competitive total of 129/6.
Momand’s Magical Spell
The chase began poorly for Japan when Abdullah Ahmadzai claimed a scalp in the opening over. Although Reo Sakurano-Thomas and captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming stabilized the innings, the latter fell to Nangeyalia Kharoti just before the end of the Powerplay. Benjamin Ito-Davis provided brief excitement with a 17-run cameo, but his dismissal to Kharoti triggered a dramatic collapse. Arab Gul Momand was the architect of the chaos, utilizing his sharp, whippy action to deliver two consecutive double-wicket maidens in the 12th and 14th overs. With 19 dot balls in his spell, Momand proved impossible to read, reducing Japan from a hopeful 53/2 to a desperate 63/8. The report also notes that but leg-spinner Arab Gul Momand wrecked the Japanese batting line-up with returns of 4-2-8-4 as the hosts were skittled out for 81 in pursuit of 130. The report also notes that but Afghanistan managed to get to 129 by the end of it, shoma Suyaga-Slater struck twice in the last over.
Match Conclusion
- Afghanistan finished their allotted 20 overs at 129/6.
- Key batting contributors included Mohammad Akram (34), Darwish Rasooli (29), and Mohammad Ishaq (25*).
- Japan’s bowling effort was led by Shoma Sugaya-Slater (2-18) and Ibrahim Takahashi (2-19).
- In response, Japan was bowled out for 81 in 19.3 overs, with Reo Sakurano-Thomas top-scoring at 23.
- The final bowling figures for Afghanistan saw Arab Gul Momand claim 4-8, while Nangeyalia Kharoti finished with 3-19 and Abdullah Ahmadzai took 2-13.
