Hong Kong beat Japan to lift East Asia T20 women’s cricket title
Mariko Hill’s team score a five-wicket victory in the Duckworth-Lewis method to finish the four-team tournament unbeaten
Hong Kong were crowned East Asia T20 champions on Sunday after they scored a convincing five-wicket victory over Japan in the final at the Kowloon Cricket Club.
The local side, captained by Mariko Hill, finished the tournament with an undefeated record, having beaten all three rival teams in the competition.
Their last group match against Japan was abandoned because of rain but Hong Kong were able to add the Japanese to their account in the final on the Duckworth/Lewis method, with player of the tournament Yasmin Daswani leading the way with the bat.
Hong Kong had earlier beaten China and South Korea in pool matches of the four-team competition and the team will now prepare for the regional World Cup qualifiers in November.
Japan won the toss and chose to bat, the first time in the tournament that Hong Kong would have to chase a target.
Chan Ka-man took two wickets and Hill and Chan Ka-ying nabbed once apiece as Japan scored 90 for four in their 20 overs. Captain and opener Mai Yanagida top-scored for the visitors with 35.
Hong Kong were measured in their chase and were 44-0 before rain forced the players off the field in the ninth over.
After another rain-enforced break, Hong Kong’s target was revised to 83 off 18 overs. Japan were able to apply some pressure and capture some late wickets but the home side were always in control and reached their target with 10 deliveries to spare.
Daswani, chasing her third straight half-century, was run out for 31 – still Hong Kong’s highest scorer – while fellow opener Keenu Gill scored 17. The home side were gifted 25 extras, including 18 wides and five no-balls.
Daswani was voted player of the tournament and best batter while Japan’s Etsuko Kobayashi was named best bowler.
In the third-place play-off, China beat South Korea by eight runs. The Chinese batted first and scored 74 for six in 15 overs and then restricted the Koreans to 66 for nine.
