Two MVP performances from Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming have given the East Kanto Sunrisers a chance of retaining their Japan Premier League title as they booked their place in the final.

The morning match up against the South Kanto Super Kings always looked like the key battle, and Kadowaki-Fleming set the tone with a 26-ball 37 as the Sunrisers posted 130 for nine in their first innings. 

The Super Kings never quite got going in their chase, with only the final partnership managing better than a run a ball as Noor Ibrahim struck 28 from 20, which proved too little too late as the Sunrisers held on for a 12-run win. 

Next up was the North Kanto Lions, and they struggled even more to contain the Japan captain. The Lions were indebted to Reo Sakurano-Thomas as his 35 helped the team to 111 for eight in their 20 overs. 

Kadowaki Fleming ended the chase by striking three consecutive sixes to finish 49* from 30 balls, while Nikhil Pol made 30* in a supporting role as the win was secured by nine wickets.

Those wins mean the Sunrisers are the only team to have played all their matches and sit top of the table on six points. The Hurricanes and Super Kings are immediately below them and play each other in the final match of the round.

The Hurricanes comfortably dispatched the Kansai Chargers in the morning, as Shogo Kimura became only the second player to pass 50 in the tournament this year. 

Chasing 110, Kimura struck four maximums before being dismissed on 57, leaving Kazuma Kato-Stafford to strike a winning boundary with four balls remaining and five wickets in hand.

The Kansai Chargers will face off against the Lions in the wooden spoon match on Sunday with both teams yet to register a win. The Chargers were comfortably beaten by a Sabaorish Ravichandran-inspired Super Kings, intend on inflicting some damage after their morning loss. 

Although the Chargers excelled with the ball to dismiss the Super Kings for 110 in 18.5 overs, Ravichandran stood up with 31 from 20 deliveries. He then combined with Piyush Kumbhare to take five wickets for just 19 runs in their eight overs to seal a 32-run win and keep their destiny in their own hands. 

The weather forecast may yet have the final word in the JPL VIII, but so far viewers have been treated to an array of exciting cricket and three teams all go into the final day hoping to claim the title. 

Match Summaries:

Morning 

• Sunrisers 130/9 (Kadowaki-Fleming 37), beat Super Kings 118/4, by 12 runs.
• Chargers 109/8 (Taniyama 31), lost to Hurricanes 110/5 (Kimura 57), by 5 wickets.

Afternoon

• Lions 111/8 (Sakurano-Thomas 35), lost to Sunrisers 114/1 (Kadowaki-Fleming 49*, Pol 30*), by 9 wickets
• Super Kings 110/10 (Ravichandran 31, Yamashita 3/22), beat Chargers 78/8 (Ravichandran 3/10), by 32 runs.

The final round will start at 10am Japan Standard time, with the Grand Final set to start at 2pm. Tune in on YouTube (or Fancode on the Indian Subcontinent) as the action reaches its climax.