Japan national cricket team

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The Japan national cricket team is the men's team that represents the country of Japan in international cricket. The team is organised by the Japan Cricket Association (JCA), which has been a member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) since 1989. Japan made its international cricketing debut at the 1996 ACC Trophy in Malaysia. Most of the team's matches are played in regional competitions, generally against other teams in the ICC East Asia-Pacific development region. Between 2008 and 2012, Japan participated in the World Cricket League (WCL), reaching WCL Division Five at one point.

Japan
AssociationJapan Cricket Association
Personnel
CaptainKendel Kadowaki-Fleming
CoachDavid Reid
International Cricket Council
ICC statusAffiliate (1989)
Associate member (2005)
ICC regionAsia / East Asia-Pacific
ICC Rankings Current[1] Best-ever
T20I 45th 45th (2 Oct 2024)
International cricket
First internationalJapan Japan v. Brunei 
(Kuala Lumpur; 6 September 1996)
Twenty20 Internationals
First T20Iv  Indonesia at Sano International Cricket Ground, Sano; 9 October 2022
Last T20Iv  Indonesia at Yeonhui Cricket Ground, Incheon; 5 October 2024
T20Is Played Won/Lost
Total[2] 40 27/12
(0 ties, 1 no result)
This year[3] 25 18/6
(0 ties, 1 no result)
T20 World Cup Qualifier appearances1[a] (first in 2023)
Best resultRunners-up (2023)

T20I first kit

T20I second kit

As of 5 October 2024

In April 2018, the ICC decided to grant full Twenty20 International (T20I) status to all its members. Therefore, all Twenty20 matches played between Japan and other ICC members since 1 January 2019 have the full T20I status.[4]

Japan were placed in qualifier B in the 2022–23 ICC Men's T20 World Cup East Asia-Pacific Qualifier, which was held in Sano, Japan. They beat Indonesia and South Korea to reach the East Asia-Pacific Regional Final, where they lost to the Papua New Guinea national cricket team. They will participate in the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup East Asia-Pacific Qualifier B, which will take place in South Korea from September to October.

History

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Cricket was introduced to Japan in the 1860s, by the British, but did not become organised until the 1980s, when the Japan Cricket Association was formed.[5] They became an affiliate member of the ICC in 1989,[6] and the national team first played in the 1996 ACC Trophy, losing all their games including a 380 run defeat by Fiji.[7] They continued without success in the 1998 tournament[8] and the 2000 tournament.[9]

After the 2000 ACC Trophy, they left the Asian Cricket Council and became part of the ICC's East Asia/Pacific region. They played in the East Asia Eights tournament in Australia in February 2002, finishing as runners-up to an Australian indigenous team.[10] Indonesia and South Korea were the other teams in the tournament.[11] In 2004, they hosted the East Asia Pacific Cricket Challenge tournament as part of qualification for the 2007 World Cup, finishing third after beating Indonesia in a play-off.[12]

In June 2005, Japan were promoted to associate membership of the ICC[13] and that year they played in the 2005 ICC EAP Cricket Cup in Vanuatu, winning the tournament after beating the Cook Islands in the final.[14] The following year they played in the 2006 ICC EAP Cricket Trophy in Brisbane finishing last in the three team tournament that also involved Fiji and the Cook Islands.[15]

In December 2007 Japan took part in the 2007 ICC EAP Cricket Trophy in Auckland, New Zealand, playing against the Cook Islands, Indonesia, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu.[16] Japan won the tournament and qualified for Division Five of the World Cricket League where they finished in tenth place out of the twelve countries represented[17] in Jersey.[18]

On 22 March 2016, it was announced that Sano, Tochigi, would be home to the Sano International Cricket Ground, which will become Japan's first dedicated purpose-built cricketing venue which no longer had to compete with other sports for usage.[19]

On 9 October 2022, Japan played their first ever T20 international match against Indonesia.[20] In January 2023 it was announced that Japan and Indonesia would be included in Asian Cricket Council (ACC) pathway events, while remaining in the ICC East Asia-Pacific development region.[21] Japan was formally readmitted to ACC membership in January 2024, with Indonesia also joining as a member.[22]

Japan will be participating at 2022 Asian Games cricket tournament. They were placed in a group along with Cambodia and Hong Kong. This will be the Japan national cricket team's first appearance at the Asian Games.

In recent years, the Japan Cricket Association has been actively promoting the game in Japan by conducting many professional ODI and T20 leagues, such as the Japan Cricket League and Japan Cup. The JCA has also designed a cricket blast programme to teach 8-12-year-old school children.[23] Cricket in Japan is also being bolstered by immigrants from India, Australia, Britain, Sri Lanka and Nepal.[24]

Tournament history

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ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier

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  • 2023: Runners-up (EAP Regional Final)

ACC Challenger Cup

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ACC Trophy

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  • 1996: First round[7]
  • 1998: First round[8]
  • 2000: First round[9]

World Cricket League

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East Asia Cup

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Sources:[25][26]

Current squad

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Updated as of 12 May 2024

This lists all the players who have played for Japan in the past 12 months or has been part of the latest T20I squad.

Name Age Batting style Bowling style Notes
Batters
Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake 22 Right-handed
Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming 28 Left-handed Right-arm off break Captain
Koji Hardgrave-Abe 18 Right-handed Right-arm off break
Alester Kadowaki-Fleming 27 Right-handed
All-rounders
Ibrahim Takahashi 25 Right-handed Right-arm off break
Declan Suzuki-McComb 21 Left-handed Right-arm medium
Sabaorish Ravichandran 32 Right-handed Right-arm leg break
Benjamin Ito-Davis 25 Right-handed Right-arm off break
Wicket-keepers
Wataru Miyauchi 26 Right-handed
Alexander Shirai-Patmore 27 Left-handed
Spin Bowlers
Makoto Taniyama 28 Right-handed Right-arm leg break
Charles Hinze 16 Left-handed Slow left-arm orthodox
Abdul Samad 20 Left-handed Slow left-arm orthodox
Pace Bowlers
Reo Sakurano-Thomas 25 Right-handed Right-arm medium Vice-Captain
Ryan Drake 22 Right-handed Right-arm medium
Kazuma Kato-Stafford 17 Left-handed Left-arm medium
Kohei Kubota 26 Right-handed Right-arm medium
Kiefer Yamamoto-Lake 18 Left-handed Right-arm medium

Records

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International Match Summary — Japan[33]

Last updated 5 October 2024

Playing Record
Format M W L T NR Inaugural Match
Twenty20 Internationals 40 27 12 0 1 9 October 2022

Twenty20 International

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T20I record versus other nations[33]

Records complete to T20I #2895. Last updated 5 October 2024.

Opponent M W L T NR First match First win
vs Associate Members
  Cambodia 1 1 0 0 0 27 September 2023 27 September 2023
  China 2 2 0 0 0 15 February 2024 15 February 2024
  Hong Kong 4 0 4 0 0 1 October 2023
  Indonesia 8 6 2 0 0 9 October 2022 9 October 2022
  Maldives 1 1 0 0 0 4 February 2024 4 February 2024
  Mongolia 7 6 0 0 1 7 May 2024 7 May 2024
  Papua New Guinea 2 0 2 0 0 25 July 2023
  Philippines 5 5 0 0 0 22 July 2023 22 July 2023
  Saudi Arabia 1 0 1 0 0 9 February 2024
  Singapore 2 0 2 0 0 6 February 2024
  South Korea 4 4 0 0 0 15 October 2022 15 October 2022
  Thailand 1 1 0 0 0 2 February 2024 2 February 2024
  Vanuatu 2 1 1 0 0 23 July 2023 23 July 2023

Other matches

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For a list of selected international matches played by Japan, see Cricket Archive.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ T20 World Cup Qualifier refers to the Regional Final of the ICC East Asia-Pacific region from the 2023 edition.

References

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  1. ^ "ICC Rankings". International Cricket Council.
  2. ^ "T20I matches - Team records". ESPNcricinfo.
  3. ^ "T20I matches - 2024 Team records". ESPNcricinfo.
  4. ^ "All T20 matches between ICC members to get international status". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
  5. ^ Article about Japanese cricket Archived 19 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ Japan at CricketArchive
  7. ^ a b 1996 ACC Trophy Archived 13 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine at CricketEurope
  8. ^ a b 1998 ACC Trophy Archived 11 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine at CricketEurope
  9. ^ a b 2000 ACC Trophy Archived 22 August 2010 at the Wayback Machine at CricketEurope
  10. ^ Scorecard of Australia Cricket Board Indigenous v Japan, 1 March 2002 at CricketArchive
  11. ^ 2002 East Asia Eights Archived 7 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine at CricketArchive
  12. ^ Scorecard of Japan v Indonesia, 29 May 2004 at CricketArchive
  13. ^ "A unique festival to popularise cricket in Japan". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  14. ^ 2005 EAP Cricket Cup Archived 1 January 2006 at the Wayback Machine, ICC official website
  15. ^ 2006 EAP Cricket Trophy Archived 11 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine at CricketEurope
  16. ^ ICC EAP newsletter[permanent dead link], October 2007
  17. ^ ICC's one-day rankings Archived 29 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  18. ^ World Cricket League structure, 2006–2009
  19. ^ "International Cricket Ground to be built in Japan". Japan Cricket Association. 23 March 2016. Archived from the original on 4 April 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  20. ^ "Japan Cricket to host Indonesia Men's team for T20I series before ICC Qualifier – Czarsportz". 30 September 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  21. ^ "Decision on Asia Cup venue postponed to March 2023". 4 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  22. ^ "ACC AGM held in Bali on 31 January 2024". Asian Cricket Council. 31 January 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  23. ^ https://japancricketblast.com/en/ [bare URL]
  24. ^ "Volunteers in Japan draw on sports to help foreign laborers integrate".
  25. ^ "East Asia Cup Tournament organised between China, Hong Kong, Japan and Korea". Japan Cricket Association. 19 February 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  26. ^ "History of the Games". Cricket Hong Kong. Archived from the original on 4 September 2018. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  27. ^ "EAST ASIA MEN'S T-20 CHAMPIONSHIPS, 2015/16". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  28. ^ "Korea beats Japan to clinch East Asia Cup title". International Cricket Council. 7 November 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  29. ^ "Japan vs South Korea Final East Asia Cup 2016". ESPNcricinfo. 6 November 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  30. ^ "South Korea edge Japan to win East Asia Cup cricket tournament". Inside the games. 8 November 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  31. ^ "Korea's national cricket team taste first international success". Arirang News. 24 November 2016. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  32. ^ "East Asia Cup 2018 – Fixtures & Results". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  33. ^ a b "Records / Japan / Twenty20 Internationals / Result summary". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  34. ^ "Records / Japan / Twenty20 Internationals / Highest totals". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  35. ^ "Records / Japan / Twenty20 Internationals / High scores". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  36. ^ "Records / Japan / Twenty20 Internationals / Best bowling figures". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  37. ^ "Records / Japan / Twenty20 Internationals / Most runs". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  38. ^ "Records / Japan / Twenty20 Internationals / Most wickets". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
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