The West Kanto Hurricanes blew hardest on Day One of JPL VIII, as they aim to reclaim the title they won for the first time in 2021. 

Inspired by three Japan internationals, the Hurricanes were first indebted to captain Wataru Miyauchi as his 43 broke the back of a nervy chase of 100 to defeat the East Kanto Sunrisers, the defending champions, by three wickets. 

In the afternoon, it was a scintillating 71 from 51 balls from Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake which propelled the team to 133 for seven in their 20 overs against the North Kanto Lions. 

In both matches Vinay Iyer wrecked havoc with the ball, grabbing nine wickets in total. His four for 17 against the Sunrisers proved just a warm-up as he destroyed the Lions with five for 12 to spark a collapse from 81 for two to 108 all out and a win by 25 runs.

The Sunrisers were able to bounce back from their defeat in the morning thanks to their own internationals, as Ibrahim Takahashi (four for 12) and Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming (39 off 29 balls) did enough to claim a 27-run win over the Kansai Chargers. 

The only other team to manage a 100% record on Day One were the South Kanto Super Kings, who are desperately seeking a return to former glories. 

The Super Kings held their nerve in a tight match against the Lions, and it was no surprise that their internationals took the limelight; Alex Shirai-Patmore setting up a total of 128 for eight with his 41 from 46 deliveries before Piyush Kumbhare really tamed the Lions. 

Kumbhare’s two for 16 included a maiden and left the Lions with too much to do at the end. Needing 17 off the final over they came close thanks to a towering maximum from Shortaro Hiratsuka, but it was the Super Kings who strutted home by three runs in the end. 

There is a full schedule on Saturday 6th May as well, be sure to tune in on YouTube (or Fancode on the Indian Subcontinent) as the action continues. 

Match Summaries: 

Morning

• Sunrisers 99/10 (Iyer 4/17, Ichiki 3/17), lost to Hurricanes 102/7 (Miyauchi 43), by three wickets. 
• Super Kings 128/8 (Shirai-Patmore 41, Chandima 3/30), beat Lions 125/7 (Takoor 42, Pathak 33), by three runs. 

Afternoon

• Sunrisers 146/8 (Kadowaki-Fleming 39, Luqman 3/17), beat Chargers 119/9 (Takahashi 4/12), by 27 runs.
• Hurricanes 133/7 (Yamamoto-Lake 71), beat Lions 108/10 (Iyer 5/12, Kato-Stafford 3/19), by 25 runs.