15 February 2024
Japan break records before stumbling against Hong Kong China
By Jay Dasinghani
Japanese captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming and fellow opener Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake set a new world record for the highest opening partnership in T20Is, putting on 258 against China, who weren’t able to take any wickets in the morning game on day two of the Men’s East Asia Cup. In reply, China reached 78, their second-highest T20I total.
Kadowaki-Fleming’s side could not back up this performance in the afternoon game, faltering in a chase of 156 against Hong Kong China, losing by 27 runs. Yasim Murtaza took home the Player of the Match honours for a gritty knock of 48 and figures of 1-16, which included the wicket of the Japanese skipper.
Japan vs China
After electing to bat first, Japan got off to a decent start, scoring 20 in their first three overs. Kadowaki-Fleming soon exploded, hitting two fours and dancing down the track to deposit Qiancheng Ma beyond the sightscreen to take 17 off the fourth over.
Not to be left behind, Yamamoto-Lake swung Zhong Yuechao into deep square leg for his first maximum to help Japan to a total of 76 after eight overs.
This would prove to be a mere prelude to the real carnage that would follow.
All in all, Japan hit 23 sixes in their innings. Yamamoto-Lake cleared the ropes 12 times in his knock of 134* while his skipper hit 11 maximums in an innings of 109*.
In reply, Wei Guolei (24) and Zou Kiu (10) were the only batters to reach double figures for China. Left-arm teenaged pacer Kazuma Kato-Stafford took 3-16 and was complemented by leg-spinner Makoto Taniyama who returned figures of 3-5 to help seal a mammoth 180-run win for Japan.
Hong Kong China vs Japan
Electing to bat first, the home side found themselves in early trouble. Reo Sakurano-Thomas had Jamie Atkinson caught behind before taking a splendid diving catch at mid on to get rid of Nizakat Khan.
Anshuman Rath was the first of Sabaorish Ravichandran’s wickets, getting a leading edge to a googly that popped up to Yamamoto-Lake in the circle. The Japanese leg-spinner would take two more wickets in his next over, getting Babar Hayat stumped before trapping Aizaz Khan in front to leave Hong Kong China reeling at 54 for five after eight overs.
Luckily for the home side, Zeeshan Ali and Murtaza stitched together an 83-run partnership. Murataza struck two maximums down the ground to go with five fours, whereas Zeeshan hit 40 off 32, including a huge hit over deep square leg and a slog over long on.
Staring down the barrel of a total around 170, Japan, to their credit, fought back to bowl the home side out for 155 with two balls left in the 20th.
In reply, Japan’s chase never got going. Yamamoto-Lake and Wataru Miyauchi both chipped catches to infielders before Murtaza bowled Kadowaki-Fleming who missed a straight one.
Two further run outs saw them slide to 41 for five in the eighth over. Despite useful knocks of 25 and 21 from Ibrahim Takahashi and Kazuma Kato-Stafford respectively, the visitors could not get over the line.
Anas Khan starred with the ball, taking 4-30 to dash any hopes of a Japanese fight back.