Momand’s Four-Wicket Blitz Sinks Japan as Afghanistan Open with a Win

Nisshin: Two days after Japan came within touching distance of an upset against India, they threatened to repeat the trick against Afghanistan. Then Arab Gul Momand intervened.

The leg-spinner produced a spell of 4 for 8 from his four overs, including two double-wicket maidens, as Japan collapsed from a promising 53 for 2 to 63 for 8 and were eventually bowled out for 81 in 19.3 overs, handing Afghanistan a 48-run victory in their Group A opener at the Korogi Sports Park on Thursday.

Afghanistan, fielding a second-string side, had earlier posted 129 for 6, a total that looked modest for much of their innings. Japan’s spinners kept the scoring rate in check, with Ibrahim Takahashi returning 2 for 19 and Shoma Sugaya-Slater striking twice in the final over to finish with 2 for 18.

Akram Anchors, Rasooli Provides Late Thrust

Debutant opener Mohammad Akram top-scored with 34, but Afghanistan’s innings never quite found its gears. Hassan Eisakhil fell for a 10-ball 3, and while Karim Janat and Akram picked up boundaries to lift Afghanistan to 39 in the powerplay, the scoring rate did not spike appreciably thereafter. Janat departed in the 10th over, and Akram, having struck his second six, fell to Benjamin Ito-Davis, failing to convert his start.

Najibullah Zadran’s first international outing in over two years ended in an 11-ball 7. At 84 for 4 after 16 overs, Afghanistan needed a late surge. Captain Darwish Rasooli supplied it with three fours in the 18th over. Mohammad Ishaq‘s unbeaten 25 off a handful of deliveries proved equally vital, with a six and a four in the 19th over pushing the total towards respectability.

Japan’s Chase Unravels

Abdullah Ahmadzai struck in the opening over of the defence, but Reo Sakurano-Thomas and captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming steadied Japan through the powerplay. Kadowaki-Fleming fell to Nangeyalia Kharoti in the final over of that phase, and Ito-Davis offered brief resistance with an 8-ball 17 that included a boundary, a six and a four off Kharoti before he was cleaned up by the left-arm spinner.

Najibullah struck in his first over, but it was Momand who proved unplayable. His whippy action generated 19 dot balls across his spell, and the two double-wicket maidens in the 12th and 14th overs dismantled Japan’s middle order. The first of those wickets accounted for the set Sakurano-Thomas, and Japan’s position of 53 for 2 rapidly deteriorated to 63 for 8.

Kharoti finished with 3 for 19, while Ahmadzai claimed 2 for 13. Japan dragged the innings into the final over but were bowled out with three balls to spare.

The result gives Afghanistan a winning start to their campaign and leaves Japan searching for answers after a second consecutive defeat, albeit one that followed a far more competitive showing against India.

Brief scores: Afghanistan 129/6 in 20 overs (Mohammad Akram 34, Darwish Rasooli 29, Mohammad Ishaq 25*; Shoma Sugaya-Slater 2-18, Ibrahim Takahashi 2-19) beat Japan 81 all out in 19.3 overs (Reo Sakurano-Thomas 23; Arab Gul Momand 4-8, Nangeyalia Kharoti 3-19, Abdullah Ahmadzai 2-13) by 48 runs.

                                               

Relevant news