At the Mission Road Ground in Hong Kong, Japan’s captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming and opening partner Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake rewrote the history books in men’s T20 internationals with a breathtaking show of batting skill. Their incredible 258-run combination against China, which they forged with incredible pace, eclipsed the previous record opening stand, which Afghanistan’s Hazratullah Zazai and Usman Ghani set against Ireland in 2019.
Having won the toss and elected to bat, Kadowaki-Fleming asserted his dominance with a brilliant 109 off just 53 deliveries, featuring an incredible 11 sixes and three fours. Unfazed, Yamamoto-Lake unleashed his own fireworks, hitting eight fours and an astounding twelve sixes en route to 134 runs off 68 balls. By surpassing his own partner’s 114 against South Korea in 2022, this incredible achievement also became the greatest individual score by a Japanese cricket player in T20Is.
Only Luo Shilin was able to keep an economy rate below 10 runs per over as the onslaught left Chinese bowlers panting for air. A new record for men’s T20Is was set, and the massive total of 258 runs without a loss is now tied for seventh place in the format.
China collapses in the face of Japan’s formidable goal
As a result of Japan’s unrelenting bowling attack, China gave in to pressure and collapsed to a meager 78 runs. The young left-armer Kazuma Kato-Stafford spearheaded the attack, taking three wickets for 16 runs with excellent economy, while leg-spinner Makoto Taniyama wove his web and claimed three wickets for just five runs. Japan’s decisive victory, which was their biggest margin in men’s T20Is, set the stage for a fierce matchup with Hong Kong in the afternoon.
With an incredible 236-run partnership against Ireland, Afghanistan’s Zazai and Ghani previously held the record for the highest partnership in Twenty20 international cricket. Afghanistan had reached a joint-highest total of 278 runs thanks to their remarkable cooperation.
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