Akari Nishimura (formerly Akari Kano) has earned a professional contract and will travel to Hong Kong for the FairBreak Invitational 2023.

She joins the reigning champions, the Tornadoes, as a wicket-keeper / batter and becomes the 12th different nationality in the 15-strong squad as the six-team tournament prepares to get underway on Monday 3rd April at the Kowloon Cricket Club.

Akari began her journey into cricket in March 2018 as one of the founding members of the Sendai University Cricket Project and was fast-tracked that year into the Women’s Japan National Squad. She made her debut in 2019 in an ICC World Cup Qualifier in Vanuatu, and in 2022 she scored her first international half century.

Upon hearing the news that she had been chosen Nishimura said: “It was a big surprise to hear that FairBreak wanted me to jon the tournament. The FairBreak tournament last year and Shizuka Miyaji becoming the first Japanese player to be awarded a professional contract inspired my ambition to play in it as well.”

She went on to thank her teammates at Sendai University, with whom she trains every day, and everyone she has played alongside in the Japan National Team. She acknowldges that her half-century against Hong Kong last October has boosted her confidence of being able to perform against strong opposition.

Lastly she said: “I really want to thank FairBreak for this opportunity, and everything they are doing for women’s cricket, and also our Women’s Japan National Squad partner, Mitsui Knowledge Industry, whose support for women’s cricket in Japan is vital. Finally, I would like Sendai University for encouraging me and supporting both my playing and professional career.”

The full FairBreak scheudle can be seen via the following link, and Tuesday 11th April is a date to mark in your diaries as Nishimura’s Tornadoes will take on Shizuka Miyaji’s Spirit! https://fairbreak.net/fairbreak-invitational-2023/fixtures-fbi-23

Akari Nishimura Player Profile:

• Born November 25, 1997 (age 25), in Kawasaki Town, Miyagi Prefecture
  Lives in Ogawara Town, Miyagi Prefecture
• Started playing cricket in 2018 as a first-year student of the Sendai University Cricket Club
• Debut for Japan in 2019 at the ICC Women’s East Asia Pacific Qualifiers
• Right-handed wicket-keeper batter
• Scored first international 50 in October 2022 vs Hong Kong at the East Asia Cup in Kaizuka, Osaka
  Graduated School of Sendai University
  Founding member of Sendai University Cricket Club
  Sendai University staff member

Sendai University Women’s National Team Challenge

In 2018, JCA started a project in partnership with Sendai University as part of the Great East Japan Earthquake revitalisation. The purpose is to develop human resources who can play an active role in the sports industry.

In 2022 six members of the university team were selected in the Women’s Japan National Squad and two members would later be named in the team to participate in the East Asia Cup at the end of the year.

This project also led to the JCA being introduced to Watar Town in Miyagi Prefecture who were searching for ways to promote international exchange and a more distinctive identity for the town. By becoming a City of Cricket in 2021 and having a hard pitch installed in late 2022, Watari is now established as the home of cricket in the Tohoku regoin and has plans to host plenty of matches and community events in 2023 and beyond.

About FairBreak Global:

• At FairBreak, we see a world where people have fair and equal access to opportunities that enable them to succeed in their chosen endeavour, independent of gender or geographical location. Our mission is to create opportunities that progress gender equality on a truly global scale, using cricket as our primary vehicle. In doing so, we aim to create opportunities across health, business, media, arts and education to empower women to pursue success in their chosen endeavour.
• https://fairbreak.net @FairBreakGlobal