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Japan and Nepal will lock horns in Match 5 of the men’s cricket competition at the 2026 Asian Games on Saturday, September 26. The Group A clash will be played at the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, with the match scheduled to begin at 5:30 AM IST.
The contest is an important one for both teams. Japan suffered a 48-run defeat against Afghanistan in their opening game, while Nepal’s campaign began with their clash against Afghanistan on September 25. Japan were bowled out for 81 after Afghanistan posted 129/6, although the hosts showed glimpses of competitiveness during the chase.
Japan’s batting will again be expected to revolve around captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming, Reo Sakurano-Thomas and Benjamin Ito-Davis. Nepal, meanwhile, have several experienced international players, including Dipendra Singh Airee, Sandeep Lamichhane, Aasif Sheikh and Kushal Bhurtel. The two sides have also met previously, with Nepal winning their T20I encounter in the 2025 Asia-EAP Qualifier.
Here are top 3 player battles for Japan vs Nepal, Match 5 of Asian Games 2026:
One of the most interesting battles could be between Japan captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming and Nepal’s premier spinner Sandeep Lamichhane.
Kadowaki-Fleming is one of Japan’s most experienced players and also bowls right-arm off-spin. He played an important role in Japan’s batting effort against Afghanistan, contributing 31 runs, but could not prevent the hosts from suffering a collapse in the latter stages. Japan slipped dramatically after reaching 59/3 and were eventually bowled out for 81.
Lamichhane, meanwhile, brings considerable T20 experience and remains one of Nepal’s biggest wicket-taking threats. The leg-spinner has already enjoyed success against Japan, taking two wickets in the previous meeting between the sides.
Kadowaki-Fleming’s ability to rotate the strike and attack spin will be tested against Lamichhane’s variations. If Japan’s captain can negotiate the leg-spinner successfully, it could provide the hosts with a platform in the middle overs.
Aasif Sheikh against Shoma Sugaya-Slater could be another fascinating contest, particularly if Nepal’s experienced opener faces Japan’s promising bowling option during the powerplay.
Aasif is one of Nepal’s established T20 batters and has already enjoyed success against Japan. In the previous T20I meeting between the teams, he scored 38 runs at a strike rate of 181, making him one of the standout performers in that contest.
Sugaya-Slater, meanwhile, was one of Japan’s wicket-takers against Afghanistan. The right-arm medium pacer dismissed Afghanistan captain Darwish Rasooli and Ismat Alam, finishing with two wickets in the opening match.
His ability to bowl disciplined lines could make life difficult for Aasif, particularly during the early overs. However, if the Nepal opener gets his timing right, Japan could quickly come under pressure.
This battle could set the tone for the entire powerplay, with Aasif looking to exploit scoring opportunities while Sugaya-Slater attempts to provide Japan with an early breakthrough.
The battle between Reo Sakurano-Thomas and Karan KC could provide another key contest when Japan’s middle order comes up against Nepal’s experienced pace attack.
Sakurano-Thomas was one of Japan’s more promising performers against Afghanistan. He made a valuable contribution during the chase and helped Japan reach 50 inside the eighth over before Afghanistan’s bowlers began to take regular wickets. The right-handed batter has also been part of Japan’s international setup for several years.
Karan KC, on the other hand, is one of Nepal’s experienced seam-bowling options. His ability to generate movement and attack the stumps makes him particularly useful when Nepal are looking for wickets rather than simply controlling the scoring rate.
For Japan, Sakurano-Thomas could be crucial in rebuilding the innings if early wickets fall. His challenge will be to counter Karan’s pace and variations without allowing Nepal to build sustained pressure.
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