Japan national cricket team explained

Japan
Association:Japan Cricket Association
Captain:Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming
Coach:David Reid
Icc Status:Affiliate
Icc Member Year:1989
Icc Status2:Associate member
Icc Member Year2:2005
Icc Region:Asia / East Asia-Pacific
T20i Rank:49th
T20i Rank Best:49th (9 May 2024)
First Match: Japan v.
(Kuala Lumpur; 6 September 1996)
First T20i:v at Sano International Cricket Ground, Sano; 9 October 2022
Most Recent T20i:v at Sano International Cricket Ground, Sano; 12 May 2024
Num T20is:32
Num T20is This Year:17
T20i Record:19/12
(0 ties, 1 no result)
T20i Record This Year:10/6
(0 ties, 1 no result)
Wt20q Apps:1
Wt20q First:2023
Wt20q Best:Runners-up (2023)
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H Title:T20I first kit
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Asofdate:12 May 2024

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.

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.[1]

History

See main article: Cricket in Japan. 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.[2] They became an affiliate member of the ICC in 1989,[3] and the national team first played in the 1996 ACC Trophy, losing all their games including a 380 run defeat by Fiji.[4] They continued without success in the 1998 tournament[5] and the 2000 tournament.[6]

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.[7] Indonesia and South Korea were the other teams in the tournament.[8] 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.[9]

In June 2005, Japan were promoted to associate membership of the ICC[10] 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.[11] 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.[12]

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.[13] 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[14] in Jersey.[15]

On March 22, 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.[16]

On October 9, 2022, Japan played their first ever T20 international match against Indonesia.[17] 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.[18] Japan was formally readmitted to ACC membership in January 2024, with Indonesia also joining as a member.[19]

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.

Tournament history

ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier

Runners-up (EAP Regional Final)

ACC Challenger Cup

4th place

ACC Trophy

World Cricket League

East Asia Cup

Sources:[20] [21]

Current squad

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.

NameAgeBatting styleBowling styleNotes
Batters
Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake Right-handed
Left-handed Captain
Koji Hardgrave-Abe Right-handed
Alester Kadowaki-Fleming Right-handed
All-rounders
Ibrahim Takahashi Right-handed
Declan Suzuki-McComb Left-handed
Sabaorish Ravichandran Right-handed
Benjamin Ito-Davis Right-handed
Wicket-keepers
Wataru Miyauchi Right-handed
Alexander Shirai-Patmore Left-handed
Spin Bowlers
Makoto Taniyama Right-handed
Charles Hinze Left-handed
Abdul Samad Left-handed
Pace Bowlers
Reo Sakurano-Thomas Right-handed Vice-Captain
Ryan Drake Right-handed
Kazuma Kato-Stafford Left-handed
Kohei Kubota Right-handed
Kiefer Yamamoto-Lake Left-handed

Records

International Match Summary — Japan[28] Last updated 12 May 2024

Playing Record
Format M W L T NR Inaugural Match
Twenty20 Internationals 32 19 12 0 1 9 October 2022

Twenty20 International

Most T20I runs for Japan[32]

PlayerRunsAverageCareer span
Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming 1,089 43.56 2022–2024
Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake 679 26.11 2022–2024
Sabaorish Ravichandran 624 28.36 2022–2024
Ibrahim Takahashi 376 17.09 2022–2024
Declan Suzuki 329 18.27 2022–2024

Most T20I wickets for Japan[33]

PlayerWicketsAverageCareer span
Reo Sakurano-Thomas 36 14.69 2022–2024
Sabaorish Ravichandran 23 17.86 2022–2024
Makoto Taniyama 21 11.80 2022–2024
Ibrahim Takahashi21 21.42 2022–2024
Piyush Kumbhare 17 14.82 2022–2024

T20I record versus other nations[28]

Records complete to T20I #2606. Last updated 12 May 2024.

Opponent M W L T NR First match First win
vs Associate Members
1 1 0 0 0 27 September 2023 27 September 2023
2 2 0 0 0 15 February 2024 15 February 2024
4 0 4 0 0 1 October 2023
5 3 2 0 0 9 October 2022 9 October 2022
1 1 0 0 0 4 February 2024 4 February 2024
7 6 0 0 1 7 May 2024 7 May 2024
2 0 2 0 0 25 July 2023
2 2 0 0 0 22 July 2023 22 July 2023
1 0 1 0 0 9 February 2024
2 0 2 0 0 6 February 2024
2 2 0 0 0 15 October 2022 15 October 2022
1 1 0 0 0 2 February 2024 2 February 2024
2 1 1 0 0 23 July 2023 23 July 2023

Other matches

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

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: All T20 matches between ICC members to get international status . International Cricket Council . 26 April 2018.
  2. http://www.ichiharasharks.com/japancricket.html Article about Japanese cricket
  3. http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Countries/64.html Japan
  4. http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CRICKETEUROPE/DATABASE/1996/TOURNAMENTS/ACCTROPHY/about.shtml 1996 ACC Trophy
  5. http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CRICKETEUROPE/DATABASE/1998/TOURNAMENTS/ACCTROPHY/about.shtml 1998 ACC Trophy
  6. http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CRICKETEUROPE/DATABASE/2000/TOURNAMENTS/ACCTROPHY/about.shtml 2000 ACC Trophy
  7. http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/118/118338.html Scorecard
  8. http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Seasons/AUS/2001-02_AUS_East_Asia_Eights_2001-02.html 2002 East Asia Eights
  9. http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/101/101799.html Scorecard
  10. Web site: A unique festival to popularise cricket in Japan . International Cricket Council . 27 July 2018.
  11. http://www.icc-cricket.com/icc/development/east-asia-pacific/tournaments/eap_cricket_cup_2005/ 2005 EAP Cricket Cup
  12. http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CRICKETEUROPE/DATABASE/2006/TOURNAMENTS/WCLEAP1/about.shtml 2006 EAP Cricket Trophy
  13. http://www.icc-cricket.com/icc/development/east-asia-pacific/newsletter/OCTOBER_2007.pdf ICC EAP newsletter
  14. http://www.icc-cricket.com/icc/development/one-day_rankings.html ICC's one-day rankings
  15. http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CRICKETEUROPE/DATABASE/TOURNAMENTS/GLOBAL/WCL/structure0609.pdf World Cricket League structure
  16. Web site: International Cricket Ground to be built in Japan. Japan Cricket Association. 23 March 2016. 23 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160404080049/http://www.cricket.or.jp/eng/jca/news.php?p=256. 4 April 2016. dead.
  17. Web site: 2022-09-30 . Japan Cricket to host Indonesia Men's team for T20I series before ICC Qualifier - Czarsportz . 2022-10-12 . en-US.
  18. News: Decision on Asia Cup venue postponed to March 2023. 4 February 2023. 14 February 2023.
  19. Web site: ACC AGM held in Bali on 31 January 2024. Asian Cricket Council. 31 January 2024. 31 January 2024.
  20. Web site: East Asia Cup Tournament organised between China, Hong Kong, Japan and Korea. Japan Cricket Association. 19 February 2016. 4 September 2018.
  21. Web site: History of the Games. Cricket Hong Kong. 4 September 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180904084554/http://www.hkcricket.org/en/east-asia-cup/history-of-eac. 4 September 2018. dead.
  22. Web site: EAST ASIA MEN'S T-20 CHAMPIONSHIPS, 2015/16 . ESPNcricinfo . 4 September 2018.
  23. Web site: Korea beats Japan to clinch East Asia Cup title. . 7 November 2016 . 4 September 2018.
  24. Web site: Japan vs South Korea Final East Asia Cup 2016 . ESPNcricinfo . 4 September 2018.
  25. Web site: South Korea edge Japan to win East Asia Cup cricket tournament. Inside the games. 8 November 2016. 4 September 2018.
  26. Web site: Korea's national cricket team taste first international success. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/JawMABYgh_0 . 2021-12-22 . live. . 24 November 2016. 13 July 2019.
  27. Web site: East Asia Cup 2018 - Fixtures & Results. ESPNcricinfo. 15 September 2018.
  28. Web site: Records / Japan / Twenty20 Internationals / Result summary . ESPNcricinfo . 11 October 2022.
  29. Web site: Records / Japan / Twenty20 Internationals / Highest totals . ESPNcricinfo . 25 January 2024.
  30. Web site: Records / Japan / Twenty20 Internationals / High scores . ESPNcricinfo . 25 January 2024.
  31. Web site: Records / Japan / Twenty20 Internationals / Best bowling figures . ESPNcricinfo . 25 January 2024.
  32. Web site: Records / Japan / Twenty20 Internationals / Most runs . . 22 February 2024.
  33. Web site: Records / Japan / Twenty20 Internationals / Most wickets . . 22 February 2024.