JPN vs NEP Ball by Ball Commentary

SIX! What a way to end the innings! 18 off the final over, and Nepal finish with 149/4 on the board. Tossed up around off, Lokesh Bam shuffles across to get inside the line and smokes it over deep mid-wicket for yet another biggie. Bam also brings up a maiden T20I FIFTY, off just 22 balls.

Flatter one around off, Jora stays put and heaves it away, but without much timing and down to long on for one more.

Into the pitch, hit away off the back foot to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Oh, nearly a terrible collision and that's another catching chance gone down. Flighted ball around off, Lokesh Bam goes hard at it and miscues the lofted shot towards mid off. The long off fielder runs in and the extra cover fielder gets across to his right as well. Both have eyes on the ball and the long off fielder nearly has it in his grab, but his knee catches the face of the other fielder and both fall over. The ball spills down and Bam gets a brace.

Good work in the deep. Flatter one around off, swatted away off the inside half of the blade to the left of deep square leg. The fielder dives across and saves a couple of runs for his team.

SIX! Lokesh Bam is powering through at the death. Floated up outside off, Bam gets across to the off side and swings it away handsomely in front of deep mid-wicket for a biggie.

On a length and outside off, punched down to long off for a single.

DROPPED AND SIX! Not an easy chance by any means, but the bowler will be a bit disheartened. Drifted onto the stumps, Bam moves inside the line and sweeps it high towards deep square leg. The fielder over there is right on the ropes, and he has the wind and rain to deal with, and ends up spilling it off his body and onto the ropes.

Good work behind the stumps. Fired in just outside off, Bam goes down to sweep but misses. Shirai-Patmore does well to collect it as it bounces awkwardly and whips off the bails. There is an appeal for stumping, but the leg umpire turns it down as the batter has his back foot inside the crease.

SIX! That's well struck. Tossed up outside off, Lokesh Bam extends the arms out and gets to the pitch of the ball, whacking it over long off for a biggie.

Flat and into the pitch, outside off. Jora rocks back and swings too hard at it, mistiming it badly down to long on for a run more.

A bit shorter, darted back into the right-hander. Bam backs away and stabs it behind point for a run.

Tossed up on off, pushed down to long off for a single.

WIDE! The bowler is livid with the umpire's decision. A close call. Bam sets up for the reverse sweep and Ito-Davis smartly fires it wide of the off stump, flirting with the tramline. Bam misses and a wide is called.

Shorter in length again, pulled away off the back foot in front of square leg for a single.

Dragged short around off, Bam stands tall and slaps it flat on the bounce to sweeper cover for a single.

Short and outside off, this is punched off the back foot behind cover-point for a single.

DROPPED AND FOUR! Sundeep Jora's heart would have been in his mouth, and he really should have been out. However, he gets a deserved slice of luck, and brings up his FIFTY in 28 balls. Floated up on the stumps, slogged away off the top edge of the bat down to deep mid-wicket, where the fielder tries to reverse cup it but falls over and fumbles it onto the ropes.

Floated up outside off, Bam goes for the reverse sweep, but gets it off the arm and past the keeper for a leg bye.

Beaten! Good-length delivery, just outside off, and the ball holds its line. Sundeep Jora's feet go nowhere as he looks to push at it and gets beaten on the outside edge.

Suzuki comes around the wicket and gets it in the blockhole just outside off. Bam gets side on and digs it down the ground for a single.

SIX! The wheels are coming off for Japan, and the 100 is up for Nepal. A low full toss on the pads, Bam flicks it with ease and sends it sailing over fine leg for another biggie. 15 off the over already.

SIX! BANG! Fuller in length, sliding into the swinging arc. Lokesh Bam picks it up and drags the heave across to deep mid-wicket for a biggie.

Slower delivery, floated up on the pads. Jora clips it uppishly through mid-wicket for a run. Jora moves to 49 now.

WIDE! That's wayward from Suzuki. Full-length ball, wide outside off and shaping further away.

Yorker-length delivery, around the fourth stump line. Bam looks to jam it out but gets an inside edge through backward square leg for a single.

Slowed up a bit, on a nagging length and on off. Bam defends it with soft hands to the off side and gets across for a quick single. Nepal are 90/4 with 4 overs left in the innings.

That's a beauty! Floated up outside off, this one hits a crack and turns away sharply. Bam ends up playing well inside the line.

FOUR! Top shot! Full again, in and around off. Lokesh Bam lunges across and nails the sweep just behind square leg and gets off the mark with a boundary.

Nice and full around off, Bam gets forward and defends it to covers.

Nagging length, bowled straighter at the stumps. Lokesh Bam blocks it off.

Turn and bounce! Hammered into the pitch and wide outside off, the ball hits a crack and darts back in. Jora rides the bounce, nudging it down to short third for one, but he has taken a hefty blow on the right thumb, it seems.

OUT! CAUGHT! Japan keep chipping away with another wicket. Nicely flighted, much slower through the air and on middle. Gulshan Jha sets up for the slog-sweep again but mistimes it off the top edge. The ball lobs up around mid-wicket. Charlie Hara-Hinze at square leg, moves to his weaker right side and slips a bit, before holding on to a fine catch.

Flatter and attacking the stumps, tucked away into the vacant space at mid-wicket for a single.

FOUR! That's begging to be hit. Another one that's fired in, a bit short and well wide outside off. Sundeep Jora waits back before slapping it past point for another boundary.

FOUR! Streaky, but they all count the same. The attempted arm-ball, wide of the off stump. Jora throws his hands at it, edging it fine of short third for a boundary.

Tossed up, full and drifted into the stumps. Jha clears the front leg for the slog but heaves it along the turf to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Flighted up around off, tentatively kept out by Jha.

Pushed through at a brisk pace, fuller and on off. Gulshan Jha leans on and blocks it in front of covers, pinching a quick run.

Dragged length on off, Jha watchfully defends.

Length ball, pushed wide of the off stump. Jora leans on and eases it through covers for a single.

SIX! Power-packed from Sundeep Jora. Tossed up on off, turning in. Jora sits down and goes for the slog-sweep, nailing it high over wide long on for a biggie.

Quick and flat outside off, skidding through. Jora pokes at it and misses.

Jora really wanted that single, but Jha has rightly sent him back. Fullish length outside off, turning in. Jora pushes it straight to cover-point and sets off for the run before scampering back.

Pace off, slightly short and over middle. Gulshan Jha taps it back onto the deck, and loses the ball for a bit as he looks for a quick single, before realizing that it is right next to him. Dot to end.

OUT! EDGED AND GONE! Lovely delivery from Declan Suzuki, and Japan get their third wicket. Pitched up a tad fuller and in the channel, Suzuki gets the ball to nibble away off the deck. Kushal Malla plays a loose drive, away from the body, and gets an outside edge through to the keeper. Shirai-Patmore takes a straightforward catch behind the stumps, and Nepal are 66/3.

Back of a length and over middle, short-arm pulled down to long on for a single.

WIDE! Attempted slower ball, doesn't come out right. This is spilled wide of the off stump for a wide.

Full again, in the channel, punched off the front foot to the left of short extra cover again. This time the fielder slides across and fumbles it behind for a single.

Excellent fielding. Full and angled across off, Malla drives it away but the fielder at short extra cover dives to his left and makes the stop.

Nice start from Suzuki. Good-length delivery, slanting across the left-hander. Malla drives and misses.

20 runs and a wicket off Jake's first international over. Quite an eventful one as well. Dishes out a low full toss, outside off and Malla drills it down to long off for a single to open his account.

OUT! CAUGHT! Jake Kusuda-Nairn breaks the 55-run stand and gets his maiden T20I wicket and his joy knows no bounds. A flighted leg-break is tossed wide outside off, and Aasif bends his back leg before throwing his hands at it to hit it over covers. But he gets a thick outside edge that flies towards short third, where Ibrahim Takahashi takes a straightforward reverse-cup catch. Nepal are 62/2 in 6.5 overs.

A bit sloppy in the field there. A fuller delivery on the stumps, Aasif nudges it towards long on and takes a single. A wild throw comes back to the bowler's end, where Jake cannot gather it cleanly. The ball deflects off his left leg and rolls towards the leg side, allowing the batters to steal another run.

SIX! Gleefully accepted by Aasif. Juicy full toss on the leg stump. Aasif Sheikh collapses his back knee into the pitch and nails the slog sweep powerfully over deep mid-wicket for a cracking six. Makes the most of the Free Hit, does Sheikh.

Dear me! It is another No Ball for as Jake Kusuda-Nairn has overstepped once again. And this is a big one. Flighted up full and outside off, Aasif tries to fetch it and goes for a slog sweep but misses.

No Ball for overstepping! This hasn't been an ideal start for the debutant. Free Hit up next. A good-length delivery down the leg side, and Aasif misses his sweep. The keeper cannot gather it cleanly, allowing two byes as the ball rolls behind to deep fine leg.

Shortish and outside off, turning away, Jora rocks back and cuts it late between short third and backward point. Charlie from the former position dives full-stretch to his right and manages to get a hand on it. The ball is parried behind but it takes the sting out of it and is chased down by the backward point fielder. Three runs taken. The 50 comes up for Nepal. In 6.2 overs.

FOUR! A bit of a loosener to start from Jake. Full but drifting down leg. Jora sits down on his knee and sweeps it firmly behind square on the leg side and in the gap for a boundary.

In the air but safe! Slightly short and outside off, with decent turn and bounce. Aasif goes for a sweep but gets a top edge that flies over the short fine leg fielder for two more runs.

Pushed through, full and around off, Jora gets down on his knee to play the slog sweep but loses his shape as he tries to hit it too hard and the ball squirts off the bottom edge and rolls down through mid on for a single.

Spins in very sharply on a good length, from off to leg. Sundeep Jora hangs back and tucks it to short mid-wicket.

Short and flat, wide outside off, Jora reaches out and guides it to the left of short third for a couple of runs.

SIX! Into the stands! A juicy half-volley, on middle and leg, Sundeep Jora clears the front leg to make room and absolutely launches it over wide long on for a huge six.

Flighted ball that drifts down leg, Jora goes for a reverse sweep but misses.

WIDE! Spins away, full and beyond the tramline. Jora looks to drive but misses.

Another piece of good running. Good length, angled on the pads, this is nudged off the back foot and wide of mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

WIDE! Shapes away from a length, beyond the tramline. Aasif has a play and miss.

Short and straight, Aasif tries to work it towards the leg side but it catches the shoulder of the bat and trickles through to backward point.

Oh, this one comes in a touch, on a good length, Aarif Sheikh waits back and blocks it down the pitch.

Sensational fielding in the deep! Short and wide again, Aasif throws his hands at it and cuts aerially behind square on the off side. Charlie Hara-Hinze, stationed in the backward point region, times his leap perfectly and gets both hands to the ball. He manages to release it back into play before crossing the rope, saving a certain boundary for his side.

TOP EDGE AND FOUR! Not convincing at all. Slammed short and outside off, Aasif swivels into the pull but gets a massive top edge that sails over short fine leg. The fielder gives it a chase from the ring, but the ball wins the race.

That just took off from the surface. Even Shoma is a bit surprised to see that excessive lift. Bangs it short and outside off. It perhaps lands on one of the cracks and just springs from the deck. Aasif hangs back for the square cut, only to miss.

Pitched short and turning away, outside off, Sundeep cuts it in the gap between cover point and cover for a quick couple of runs. 12 runs off the over.

FOUR! Off the edge! Serves it fractionally full on the off stump. It turns with a bit of bounce as well. Sundeep Jora goes back for the cut shot but gets a thick outside edge. Luckily for him, the ball flies over the first slip fielder for a boundary.

Not that full, outside off. No footwork from Jora, who hangs his bat away from his body and the ball zips past the outside edge.

SIX! High and handsome! Slows it up through the air, does Charlie. Lands it full and outside the off stump. Jora gets underneath it nicely and pumps it down the ground for a massive six. The first biggie of the game and the Nepalese fans are up and about.

Around off on a fullish length, Sundeep Jora again tries to play the sweep shot by getting a bit across, but gets undone by the turn and bounce off the pitch and is hit on the helmet.

Slightly full, outside off. Sundeep Jora gets low on a knee for the sweep shot but the ball lands, bounces and spins away to beat him.

Full and speared on the leg stump, Sundeep pushes it wide of mid on for a quick single.

Beauty! Angles in and then seams it away from the right-hander, full and in the channel. Sundeep Jora plays the initial line and goes for a drive to the off side but gets beaten all ends up.

The length is pulled back, outside off, Aasif knocks it wide of cover-point for a single.

Full and outside off, moving away a bit, this is driven firmly through covers for a single.

OUT! EDGED AND CAUGHT BEHIND! Bhurtel keeps flirting with danger and eventually gets consumed. Reo slams it on a good length, outside the off stump and gets the ball to shape away a bit. Kushal Bhurtel throws his bat at it to access the off side, but does not move his feet and gets a thick outside edge behind to the keeper who makes no mistake. Japan have their first wicket already and Nepal are 7/1.

Good-length delivery, outside off, Aasif stretches forward and steers it through backward point for a single.

WIDE! Down the leg stump, a bit too straight, Aasif misses the tickle and it is called a wide.

Good flight and turn on this one. Full, outside off, Kushal Bhurtel tries to smash it through covers, only to get beaten on the outside edge.

Quicker through the air, full and outside off, Kushal Bhurtel drives it along the ground and wide of long off for a couple of runs. Excellent running between the wickets and the Nepalese fans at the venue give a loud cheer for that.

Beaten again! Slides in and then spins away, full and outside the off stump. Kushal Bhurtel pushes at it to drive it away but fails to get any connection.

Full and around the off stump, Bhurtel drives it to covers.

Swing and a miss! Tossed up, fuller and outside off, spinning away, Kushal Bhurtel goes for an expansive cover drive, but misses.

Drifts in, short on middle, Sheikh hangs back and knocks it to the right of the bowler and they dash through for a single.

Very full and outside off, Kushal looks to drive it straight, but the ball moves away from him and beats the bat. A disciplined start by Reo.

Slightly fuller than the previous ball, around off, Kushal blocks it solidly.

Beaten! Hits the deck hard, outside off, Kushal Bhurtel loosely dangles the bat away from his body and is beaten on the outside edge as the ball shapes away late. Good carry to the keeper.

Good length, on the leg stump, Kushal tucks it to deep square leg for a couple of runs to get himself and Nepal off the mark.

Swinging away now, outside off, left alone by Bhurtel.

Starts with a back-of-a-length delivery, going straight on middle, Kushal watchfully bunts it down the pitch.