Match Overview:

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Sub Regional East Asia-Pacific Qualifier B 2024. The 7th match of the tournament features Japan against the Philippines. Japan which is leading the points table would want to continue their winning streak. On the other hand, the Philippines would want to get back to winning ways. It is an interesting match as both the teams are competing for a place in the regional final which would ensure their participation in the T20 World Cup 2026 qualifiers.

Match Details:

• Venue: Yeonhui Cricket Ground, Incheon, South Korea
• Date: October 1, 2024
• Time: 06:30 AM IST

Pitch Report:

The Yeonhui Cricket Ground pitch provides a fair contest between bat and ball. In the first few overs, the seam movement can assist the fast bowlers, especially under clouds, where the swing is even available. However, while the game progresses, the spinners can be seen luring the ball. As the innings progress, the batters can play shots in the flatter conditions or preferably on the tough surface build-ups when the reverse swing is famous after the 35th over.

Team A (Japan) Analysis:

• Key Player: Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming: Fleming’s versatility and wealth of experience means he is the lynchpin for Japan, with runs and wickets proving his worth regularly.
• Probable Playing XI: Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming (c), Koji Hardgrave-Abe, Charles Hinze, Benjamin Ito-Davis, Kohei Kubota, Piyush Kumbhare, Wataru Miyauchi (wk), Sabaorish Ravichandran, Reo Sakurano-Thomas, Alexander Shirai-Patmore, Makoto Taniyama.

Team B (Philippines) Analysis:

• Key Player: Arshdeep Samra: Samra has been in fine form, scoring a half-century in their last match. He also offers a bowling option which could prove invaluable.
• Probable Playing XI: Daniel Smith (c), Rhys Burinaga, Gurbhupinder Chohan, Andrew Donovan, Kepler Lukies, Huzaifa Mohammed, Liam Myott, Miggy Podosky, Arshdeep Samra, Kulwinder Sangha, Amanpreet Sirah.

Dream11 Picks:

• Captain: Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming
• Vice-Captain: Arshdeep Samra
• Batters: Wataru Miyauchi, Daniel Smith, Koji Hardgrave-Abe
• All-rounders: Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming, Arshdeep Samra, Piyush Kumbhare
• Bowlers: Sabaorish Ravichandran, Jonathon Tuffin, Liam Myott

Public Opinion:

Public opinion tilts towards Japan being the stronger team because they are yet to lose a game in this competition and also come into this fixture with a higher ICC ranking. Their fans will also be pleased with the all-rounded output of their team so far in the preliminary matches. On the contrary, the fighting spirit of the Philippines should not be underestimated as several of its players have shown some individual brilliance and they have earned respect for that, but are still the underdogs.

SWOT Analysis:

Japan:

• Strengths: Japan is extremely strong all round with Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming leading the side. Their top order is very experienced and solid, with Sabaorish Ravichandran offering aggressive talent. The young players in the middle also deliver with the ball. Their consistency with the bat and the ball is their biggest strength, with the bowlers not giving the opposition much room with the ball.
• Weaknesses: Japan’s strength has also been its weakness because Japan’s momentum is highly dependent on a few players. If Kendal or Ravichandran are held back by the opposition, Japan is not in a good position to win. Their lower middle order also does not have depth which is a point of concern.
• Opportunities: Japan has a chance of beating the Philippines at its own game and enhancing an unbeaten record. A good performance in this game will give them enough momentum to win the tougher fixtures in the future.
• Threats: The Philippines is a team with very unpredictable patterns, and they can rise when no one expects them to. However, they are a relatively beatable side and once Japan do the basics right, they will always win the matches.

Philippines:

• Strengths: the Philippines team is star-studded, plays with individual brilliance, and has a few of difference-maker players like Arshdeep Samra. Moreover, their top-order batsmen are aggressive and their bowlers can be destructive to opposition line-ups with their sharp spells. West experts believe that there is an element of unpredictability in them, which makes them dangerous on any day.
• Weaknesses: The factor that goes against the Philippines team is their inconsistency. In addition, their middle-order is vulnerable to collapse. Even when a few players are stadium performers, the team as a whole is lacking in team capability. In addition, they have been overly reliant on individual brilliance from players, which affects their lower-order capacities. Accordingly, as Kaushik states, they are less likely to rise to the occasion when they face high-performing teams.
• Opportunities: The upset win over Japan will not only increase their probability of qualification but also they will gain an immense amount of confidence from the defeat of the top team. Therefore, after that performance, there will be a consistent increase in the chances of going all the way through.
• Threats: Japan’s form and their high-quality pace of attack will be highly challenging for the Philippines team. In addition, the daily individual brilliance they exhibit may not be on the one day that matters, which will enable the Philippines team to be uncompetitive.

Prediction:

Since Japan’s team is unbeaten and well-balanced at instance, they are likely to win the match. Their consistent all-round performance is the main reason they are expected to win. Players like Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming give them a mission-impossible outlook. The Philippines is an unpredictable team; meanwhile, players like Arshdeep Samra can turn the match in their favour.