Japan and Nepal are set to clash in the Asian Games 2026 at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin. The two sides have experienced contrasting starts to their campaigns; Nepal opened the tournament with a win, whereas Japan is still seeking its first points after a heavy loss.
Nepal currently sits second in Group A following a five‑wicket victory over Afghanistan. Sundeep Jora top‑scored with 34 runs, while Kushal Bhurtel has claimed four wickets so far. Rohit Paudel also contributed significantly to the successful chase and remains a key batter for Nepal.
Japan, meanwhile, occupies the bottom of the group after losing their opener to Afghanistan by 48 runs. Reo Sakurano‑Thomas leads the batting with 23 runs, and Ibrahim Takahashi has taken two wickets. Japan will need a markedly better batting display after being bowled out for just 81 runs in their previous match.
JPN vs NEP, Asian Games 2026: Match Details
- Date and Time: September 26, 9:00 AM Local / 12:00 AM GMT / 5:30 AM IST
- Venue: Korogi Sports Park, Nisshin
JPN vs NEP Head‑to‑Head Record in T20Is
Matches Played: 1 | Japan won: 0 | Nepal won: 1
Korogi Sports Park Pitch Report
The surface at Korogi Sports Park is expected to provide a fairly balanced contest between bat and ball. Fast bowlers may find some movement with the new ball, especially during the morning session when moisture or cloud cover could be present.
Building partnerships and rotating the strike will be crucial for the batting sides. Once batters become accustomed to the pace of the wicket, they can look to accelerate the scoring rate in the latter part of the innings. A total in the range of 140‑150 runs could be competitive at this venue. However, teams must capitalise on their batting opportunities, particularly during the powerplay, while keeping wickets in hand for the final overs.
Squads
Japan: Kendel Kadowaki‑Fleming (c), Lachlan Yamamoto‑Lake, Reo Sakurano‑Thomas, Benjamin Ito‑Davis, Alexander Shirai‑Patmore (w), Ibrahim Takahashi, Charlie Hara‑Hinze, Wataru Miyauchi, Declan Suzuki‑McComb, Makoto Taniyama, Shoma Sugaya‑Slater, Alester Kadowaki‑Fleming, Kohei Kubota, Tsuyoshi Takada, Jake Kusuda‑Nairn
Nepal: Dipendra Singh Airee (c), Aasif Sheikh (w), Kushal Bhurtel, Rohit Paudel, Gulsan Jha, Kushal Malla, Lokesh Bam, Sundeep Jora, Karan KC, Sandeep Lamichhane, Lalit Rajbanshi, Sompal Kami, Aarif Sheikh, Nandan Yadav, Sher Malla
JPN vs NEP, Asian Games 2026: Today’s Match Prediction
Case 1:
- Japan wins the toss and elects to bowl first
- Nepal’s powerplay score: 40‑45
- Nepal’s total score: 150‑160
Case 2:
- Nepal wins the toss and elects to bowl first
- Japan’s powerplay score: 30‑35
- Japan’s total score: 115‑125
Match Result: The team bowling first is predicted to win the match.
