Japan’s Women Cricketers Embrace Asian Games Experience Despite Loss to India
NAGOYA: Japan’s women cricket team shared their excitement after participating in the Asian Games on Friday, even as they faced a tough defeat against the formidable Indian team in the quarter-finals.
In the Twenty20 match, India, which ranks just behind Australia and England in the world standings, dominated by bowling out Japan for only 57 runs in 19.5 overs. India quickly chased down the target, scoring 59 runs for the loss of just two wickets in merely five overs, with opener Shafali Verma leading the way with an impressive 40 runs off 15 balls.
This was Japan’s third appearance in the Asian Games, and the team is making strides as cricket gains recognition in a country where baseball is the dominant sport. Ahilya Chandel from the Japanese team expressed her joy, saying, “This opportunity was amazing for me. Being half-Indian made it even more special. It was great to watch the team on TV and then face them in reality.”
Chandel also emphasized the lessons learned from the match, noting that such experiences could help the team improve in future challenges against higher-ranked teams. Speaking about playing on home ground, she said, “Having friends, family, and supporters there made it really special. Many fans may not know much about cricket, but they came to see it because it’s new for them. As a women’s cricket team, we want to attract more Japanese people to the sport.”
The match drew a decent crowd at the Korogi Athletic Park, showcasing growing interest in women’s cricket in Japan.
Looking ahead, India, the defending champions, will advance to the semi-finals to compete against Bangladesh, while Pakistan faces Sri Lanka, who beat Malaysia by 86 runs in the other quarter-final match.
