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Japan vs Nepal Predictions - Nepal to secure a comfortable win in Asian Games T20 Group A clash

Nigel Williams

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Last updated: 27 minutes ago

Nigel Williams 27 minutes ago

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Nepal is favored to win, with 5 straight victories, including over Afghanistan.
Japan's T20I squad is less experienced and has won only 1 of its last 5 matches.
Kushal Bhurtel (Nepal) is in exceptional batting and bowling form.

Nepal to secure a comfortable win in Asian Games T20 Group A clash (Getty Images)

Japan vs Nepal Predictions

Nepal enters as the heavy favourite against Japan in their Asian Games 2026 Group A match, due to their superior T20I form, greater international experience, and a stunning recent win over Afghanistan. Nepal possesses extensive top-tier Associate T20I experience, whereas Japan's squad is still building consistency at this level.

Japan vs Nepal Predictions
Head-to-Head
Japan Form
Nepal Form
Team News

Japan’s Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming has scored 14, 12, 37* & 45 in his last 5 knocks.
Japan’s Charlie Hara-Hinze has taken 8 wickets in 5 innings.
Japan has won 1 of their last 5 matches.
Nepal won the only meeting against Japan by 5 wickets in 2025.
Nepal's Kushal Bhurtel has figures of 4/21, 3/17, 1/26, and 3/9 in his last four matches.
Nepal's Kushal Bhurtel has scored 90*, 66, 61, 39 & 46 in his last 5 innings.
Nepal has won the last 5 matches.

Head-to-Head

Nepal won the only meeting against Japan by five wickets in 2025.

Japan Form

Hosts Japan lost to Afghanistan by 48 runs in their previous match at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin.

Japan won the toss and elected to field. Japan kept the scoring tight through the first 15 overs, restricting Afghanistan to under six runs per over, but a late surge added 45 runs in the final four overs, which allowed Afghanistan to post a modest total of 129/6 in their 20 overs.

Shoma Sugaya-Slater with 2/18 (3 overs) and Ibrahim Takahashi 2/19 (4 overs), were the pick of the bowlers.

Chasing 130 to win, Japan collapsed under pressure from Afghanistan's spin attack that ripped through the middle order as Japan slumped from 60/4 to 63/8. Japan was eventually bowled out for 81 in 19.3 overs.

Reo Sakurano-Thomas (23 from 24 balls) and Benjamin Ito-Davis (17 from 8 balls) were the standout batters.

Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming has scored 14, 12, 37* & 45 in his last five knocks, while Charlie Hara-Hinze has taken eight wickets in five innings.

Japan has won one of the last five matches.

Nepal Form

Nepal defeated Afghanistan by five wickets with 16 balls remaiining in their previous match of the Asian Games Men's T20 at the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan.

Afghanistan struggled against disciplined spin bowling from the Nepal bowlers and slumped to 16/3 inside the fifth over. Only one batter crossed the 20-run mark as they finished on 102/7 from their 20 overs.

Lalit Rajbanshi did early damage during the powerplay, claiming three crucial top-order wickets. Leg-spinner Kushal Bhurtel tore through the middle order with brilliant figures of 4/21 from his 4 overs, restricting the Afghan total.

Nepal endured a shaky start to their innings, losing three wickets in the powerplay. Despite slipping to 56/4, Rohit Paudel (33 from 32 balls) and Sundeep Jora (34 from 35 balls) steadied the chase with Nepal crossing the line in 17.2 overs to secure a memorable opening win.

Kushal Bhurtel has scored 90*, 66, 61, 39, and 46 in his last five innings, and has figures of 4/21, 3/17, 1/26, and 3/9 in his last four matches.

Nepal has won the last five matches.

Team News

Japan's Probable XI: Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming (c), Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake, Wataru Miyauchi (wk), Sakurano-Thomas, Ibrahim Takahashi, Makoto Taniyama, Kohei Kubota, Shoma Sugaya-Slater, Charlie Hara-Hinze, Declan Suzuki-McComb, Alexander Shirai-Patmore.

Nepal's Probable XI: Rohit Paudel (c), Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh (wk), Kushal Malla, Dipendra Singh Airee, Gulsan Jha, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Sandeep Lamichhane, Lalit Rajbanshi, Sundeep Jora.

Verdict

Japan v Nepal

Nepal possesses extensive top-tier Associate T20I experience, whereas Japan's squad is still building consistency at this level.

Charlie Hara-Hinze

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Kendel Kadowaki-Flemin

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