Shree Charani, right, led the way with a four-wicket haul that sent the host’s batting line-up packing during their Asian Games cricket quarterfinal clash at the Korogi Sports Park, Nagoya, Japan on Friday, September 18, 2026.
| Photo Credit: X@BCCIWomen
Cricket barely scratches the sporting surface in Japan but there is no dearth of fans here for a sport that many would struggle to identify on screen. And no one has more, at least among the volunteers at the Korogi Sports Park, than Harmanpreet Kaur.
Even though the Indian captain did not come out to bat as India first decimated the Japanese batting, then strolled past the 58-run target in five overs for an eight-wicket win, the player with jersey No. 23 remains famous.
“I don’t know the name but No. 23, I like her. My friend is an Indian and he also likes her game a lot. I really like watching the sport and her game,” a volunteer gushed.
India’s Shafali Verma plays a shot during the Asian Games women’s quarterfinal cricket match against Japan, Friday, Sept. 18, 2026.
| Photo Credit:
PTI
The venue is not for the easy-goers. Changing at least two train lines — three for some — and then walking for 15-20 minutes to reach the venue that at other times is a baseball field, a sport far more popular in the country, quite a few suffered heatstrokes and had to be administered fluids under the scorching sun.
With open temporary stands and barely any provision for shade, only the hardcore fans turned up. Among those were Virendra Maja and Aniket Yagnik, who took leave from work and came all the way from Osaka to watch the Indian team play.
The two, originally from Madhya Pradesh, are big fans of Smriti Mandhana and Shreyanka Patil. “It is a proud moment for us to watch the Indian women’s team play in Japan. We applied for leave from work and drove here to cheer for them. It feels special,” Maja said.
On the field, Shree Charani knifed through the Japan batting for a four wicket haul, then Shafali Verma’s unbeaten 15-ball 40 meant the game was over in a blink.
The reward is a repeat of the Asia Cup semifinal against Bangladesh, a challenge that will be tougher than Friday’s outing. Jersey No. 23 will, however, have the crowd behind her.
The result: Japan 57 in 19.5 overs (Ayaka Kato-Stafford 25, Shree Charani 4/10) lost to India 59/2 in 5 overs (Shafali Verma 40 not out) by eight wickets.
Published – September 18, 2026 05:55 pm IST
