Japan and Indonesia played their first men’s T20Is over the last three days as hosts Japan completed a 2-1 series win at the Sano International Cricket Ground.

The home team chose to bat first in the opening game of the series and scored 143-7 from their 20 overs, Sabaorish Ravichandran top scoring with 44. Reo Sakurano-Thomas then took 5-17 to help keep the visitors to 78-9, Japan winning by 65 runs.

In the second game, Japan gave a T20I debut to Shogo Kimura, a former baseball player who played at the highest level in Japan’s professional league before converting to a cricket player four years ago. He wasn’t needed much though as skipper Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming clubbed 81 from 40 balls, assisted by Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake’s unbeaten 57.

Japan’s total was 179-4 from the 17 overs that the game had been reduced to. Indonesia responded with 104-6, losing by 75 runs. Gede Priandana top scored with 45 not out.

The visitors were able to pull one back in the final game of the series, bowling the hosts out for 79 with Ibrahim Takahashi’s 26 their only double digit score. Ketut Artawan took 4-12. Indonesia lost seven wickets in reply but were able to chase their target in 16 overs.

Both teams will remain in Sano for the upcoming EAP sub-regional qualifier that forms part of the pathway to the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA. South Korea will be the other team in that tournament, which starts on Saturday.