The eighth edition of the Embassy Cup was won by the Pakistan XI following a full washout of the second day. The winners recorded impressive wins over the Sri Lanka XI in the morning (by 17 runs) and the Japan XI in the afternoon (by 16 runs) of day one putting them on top of the table.
In Division Two the Bangladesh XI won the title for the first time in their history thanks to a comfortable win over the Australia/New Zealand XI (by seven wickets) followed by a nailbiting win over the Nepal XI in the afternoon (by four wickets), which proved decisive.
Despite the rain, the event, which was established to promote “a diverse society where various values and cultures coexist,” enabled visitors to enjoy international cuisine from trucks serving fish & chips, Indian and Sri Lankan curries, and other dishes.
For the first time, a Cricket Tea Party was also held in collaboration with “Galette & Biscuit,” a British pastry school based in Utsunomiya, offering guests a relaxed “Cricket with Tea” experience.
In addition, guests enjoyed cricket trial sessions inside the giant inflatable dome, dance performances by professional dancer Daikichi between matches, and songs by Caribbean singer Ann G after play had ended. Spectators, players, officials, and local high-school students from Sano all came together to create a vibrant and energetic atmosphere.
Also on the 25th, the City of Sano unveiled a new manhole-cover design created in collaboration with the popular manga Black Butler (TV anime “Boarding School Arc”), a project supported by the JCA.
Unveiling of the Black Butler collaboration manhole design (Left: Mr. Yutaka Kaneko, Mayor of Sano City | Right: Naoki Alex Miyaji, CEO of Japan Cricket Association)
In the late afternoon, ambassadors, embassy representatives, supporting organizations, the City of Sano, the “Cricket Town Sano Supporters Club,” and JCA partners gathered for a networking reception.
Mayor Kaneko and Mr. Sato, Executive Officer of Global Trust Networks (GTN), delivered speeches, followed by the player awards and a charity raffle, bringing the day to a close.
On Sunday, October 26th, continuous rain forced the cancellation of all cricket matches and related events, including the Tanuma Furusato Festival.
We would like to express our sincere appreciation to everyone who supported the event — spectators, players, umpires, cricket officials, participating ambassadors and embassy representatives, partners, the Sano City Office, supporting organizations, and volunteers.
About GTN
With “Making Your Stay in Japan Great” as its vision, GTN has specialized in services for foreign nationals since its inception, providing housing assistance and comprehensive support for living in Japan. GTN offers services centered on its rent guarantor service, including real estate brokerage services, support for living and working in Japan, mobile phone services, credit card services, and more to support foreign nationals, especially those living in Japan. With 70% of its staff consisting of foreign nationals from approximately 20 different countries, GTN handles a variety of cases with an understanding of language and cultural differences.
- Company name: Global Trust Networks Co., Ltd.
- Location: Oak Ikebukuro Building 2nd Floor, 1-21-11 Higashi Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo
- Representative: Representative Director and President Hiroyuki Goto
- Business Description: Rent guarantor, real estate agency, lifestyle support business, telecommunications, human resources, credit card, etc. specialized for foreigners
- URL: https://www.gtn.co.jp
JCA Official Social Media
