AFG vs JPN Live Score

3:18 AM IST Gul spins Japan out - Even though it was a second-string attack, there was enough quality in the Afghan ranks to test a side like Japan, particularly on a wicket that offered help to both pacers and spinners. Up front, it was the Afghan new-ball attack that troubled the Japanese batters with pace, to which the home side did fight fire with fire. But the real challenge was always going to come against the spinners, and once they took over, Japan found it difficult to keep the scoreboard moving and were eventually spun into submission. 8 wickets fell to spin, with leg-spinner Arab Gul being the pick of the bowlers on debut. He finished with 4 wickets, including two double-wicket maidens.

3:17 AM IST More action to come - Right, Group A is up and running at the 2026 Asian Games, with Afghanistan getting on the board. It is a quick turnaround for them, as they face Nepal on Friday, 25 September, while Japan will take on Nepal next on Saturday, 26 September. There is one more game coming up today, with Hong Kong, China taking on Malaysia in a Group B clash. The first ball is set to be bowled at 5 am GMT. We look forward to having your company then. Cheers!

3:16 AM IST If it seams, it spins - That was certainly the case early on, as the new ball moved around off the deck while the surface also offered plenty of turn. The odd ball kept low as well, making for challenging conditions for Afghanistan, who were asked to bat first. Japan kept the scoring in check through the middle phase, but the final 4 overs went for 45 runs. Darwis Rasooli and Mohammad Ishaq provided the lift Afghanistan's innings so desperately needed and helped them reach 129.

3:11 AM IST Afghanistan off to a winning start - Silver medallists from the previous edition, Afghanistan have begun their bid to go one better this time around with a win. They had to fight their way to a competitive total with the bat, but the quality of their bowling attack was on full display. Japan struggled to put up much of a fight with the bat. They showed promise with the ball, much like they did recently against India, but Afghanistan pulled away from them with the bat in the final four overs to make the chase more challenging.