AFG vs JPN Fantasy Prediction, 1st Match: Afghanistan vs Japan Fantasy Team, Playing XI, Pitch Report, Asian Games Men’s T20 2026

This opens the men’s cricket event at the Asian Games, and Afghanistan have sent a squad built almost entirely without their regular international names. Darwish Rasooli captains a group that does not include Rashid Khan, Ibrahim Zadran or most of the players who just played India, since Afghanistan’s senior side has other commitments. For the AFG vs JPN Fantasy Team, these squad changes will be important to consider when assessing the available players. Japan captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming leads the hosts at their own purpose built venue.

AFG vs JPN Match Details

Match: Afghanistan vs Japan, 1st Match, Asian Games Men’s T20 2026
Date: Thursday, 24 September 2026
Time: 12:00 AM local time
Venue: Korogi Sports Park, Nisshin
Live Streaming: Sony Sports Ten Network and Sony LIV

A Very Different Afghanistan Squad

This needs its own explanation. Afghanistan’s Asian Games squad, led by Darwish Rasooli, shares almost no names with the side that just played a T20I series against India. There is no Rashid Khan, no Ibrahim Zadran, no Mohammad Nabi. Instead the squad includes Mohammad Ishaq as wicketkeeper, Najibullah Zadran, Karim Janat and a group of largely uncapped or lightly capped players. This is a separate representative side assembled specifically for this tournament, not a weakened version of Afghanistan’s first choice T20I team.

Recent Form

Japan have won three of their last five. They beat Papua New Guinea and Indonesia at the T20 World Cup East Asia Pacific Qualifier, but lost their most recent match to Hong Kong, bowled out for 95.

Afghanistan’s senior side has won two of its last five, losing a T20I series to India 3-0 before that. However, this specific Asian Games squad has no shared recent form of its own, since almost none of these players featured in that series.

AFG vs JPN Head to Head Record

There is no meaningful recent head to head between these exact squads. Afghanistan and Japan have not played each other at senior level before this tournament.

AFG vs JPN Squads

Afghanistan: Darwish Rasooli captains a squad built specifically for this tournament. Mohammad Ishaq keeps wicket, and Najibullah Zadran and Karim Janat add experience to the batting. Nangialai Kharoti and Farmanullah Safi lead the bowling options.

Full squad: Darwish Rasooli (c), Mohammad Ishaq (wk), Abdullah Ahmadzai, Mohammad Akram, Ismat Alam, Faridoon Dawoodzai, Hassan Eisakhil, Karim Janat, Faisal Khan, Nangialai Kharoti, Imran Mir, Arab Gul Momand, Farmanullah Safi, Khalid Taniwal, Najibullah Zadran.

Japan: Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming captains the side, Japan’s all time leading run scorer and a two time centurion in the format. Ibrahim Takahashi and Declan Suzuki-McComb offer further experience, and Jake Kusuda-Nairn adds a younger allround option.

Full squad: Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming (c), Charlie Hara-Hinze, Benjamin Ito-Davis, Alester Kadowaki-Fleming, Kohei Kubota, Jake Kusuda-Nairn, Wataru Miyauchi (wk), Reo Sakurano-Thomas, Alex Shirai-Patmore (wk), Shoma Sugaya-Slater, Declan Suzuki-McComb, Tsuyoshi Takada, Ibrahim Takahashi, Makoto Taniyama, Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake.

Pitch Report

Korogi Sports Park has hosted 6 tracked matches. The side batting first has won 67 percent of them. The average first innings score is 135, dropping sharply to just 80 in the second, suggesting the pitch tends to get harder to bat on as a match wears on.

Weather Report

Specific forecast figures were not available for this match. Check conditions closer to the toss for an updated picture.

Probable Playing XIs

Afghanistan (Probable): Hassan Eisakhil, Khalid Taniwal, Darwish Rasooli (c), Najibullah Zadran, Karim Janat, Mohammad Ishaq (wk), Faisal Khan, Ismat Alam, Nangialai Kharoti, Farmanullah Safi, Imran Mir.

Japan (Probable): Kohei Kubota, Wataru Miyauchi (wk), Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming (c), Alester Kadowaki-Fleming, Alex Shirai-Patmore, Declan Suzuki-McComb, Jake Kusuda-Nairn, Charlie Hara-Hinze, Ibrahim Takahashi, Reo Sakurano-Thomas, Makoto Taniyama.

These are estimates. Final XIs are confirmed at the toss.

Key Player Battles

Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming vs Afghanistan’s bowling attack: Kadowaki-Fleming remains Japan’s most important batter by a distance, and his form at the top of the order will likely decide how competitive Japan can be.

Najibullah Zadran vs Japan’s bowling: Zadran is the most experienced batter on the Afghanistan side and gives them a proven finisher in the middle order.

Nangialai Kharoti vs Japan’s top order: Kharoti’s pace could trouble a Japan batting line up with limited experience against quick bowling.

AFG vs JPN Fantasy Team

Wicketkeeper: Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming (C), Mohammad Ishaq

Batters: Najibullah Zadran (VC), Darwish Rasooli, Declan Suzuki-McComb, Ibrahim Takahashi

All-Rounders: Karim Janat, Nangialai Kharoti

Bowlers: Jake Kusuda-Nairn, Farmanullah Safi, Alex Shirai-Patmore

Kadowaki-Fleming is captain as comfortably the most accomplished individual player in this match, with a long international record and two centuries in the format. Zadran is vice captain as Afghanistan’s most experienced batter in a squad otherwise built around less familiar names.

Also Read- HK vs MAS Fantasy Prediction, 2nd Match: Hong Kong vs Malaysia Fantasy Team, Playing XI, Pitch Report, Asian Games Men’s T20 2026

Match Prediction

Afghanistan should still have the edge in overall talent, even with a squad missing most of their senior international names, since several of their players have first class and domestic T20 experience well above Japan’s level.

Japan have home advantage and a captain in Kadowaki-Fleming who has shown he can trouble sides above Japan’s own ranking on his day.

Afghanistan are the pick here, though this is a fresh contest between two squads without much shared history to draw on.

AFG vs JPN Fantasy Team FAQs

Q. Who will win the AFG vs JPN 1st match today?
A. Afghanistan are favoured, largely on the strength of greater overall squad depth, though this Afghanistan side is missing almost all of its senior international players.

Q. Is this Afghanistan’s full strength squad?
A. No. Afghanistan’s Asian Games squad does not include Rashid Khan, Ibrahim Zadran or most of the players who recently featured against India, and is a separate group assembled specifically for this tournament.

Q. What is the AFG vs JPN Fantasy prediction for the 1st match?
A. Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming is the top captaincy pick as Japan’s most experienced and productive batter. Najibullah Zadran is the top pick for Afghanistan.

Q. Have Afghanistan and Japan played each other before?
A. Not at senior level before this tournament, and certainly not with these specific squads.

Q. Is there a rain threat for the AFG vs JPN match?
A. Specific forecast figures were not available for this match. Check closer to the toss for an updated picture.