Mamushi Win WJPL 2025
- 2025-06-01
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Mamushi won the 2025 edition of the Women’s Japan Premier League courtesy of a 14-run win over the Pacific Rays at the Sano International Cricket Ground.
The tournament had been thrown into turmoil after match days three and four were both completely washed out by heavy rain, but extraordinary efforts by the ground staff enabled the teams to battle it out on the final day.
Mamushi, who went through the group stages unbeaten, batted first in the final and fought hard to post 112 for six from their 20 overs, with Erika Oda once again setting things up with 32 from 38 balls at the top of the order.
There were contributions from the middle order as well, most notably 21* from just 15 balls from Alisha Bates, coming at a time when the Pacific Rays bowlers had done well to stop the scoring from getting away from them as five of their bowlers took wickets and three went at under four an over.
A target of 113 looked getable but would likely need a sizable contribution from captain Makinley Blows. However, her dismissal to a stunning catch by Malsha Shehani from Ayaka Kato-Stafford’s first ball was a significant setback.
Nethmi Senarathna played the anchor role, keeping things together with 30 from 41 balls before another good catch, this time from Mamushi Captain Chelsea Moscript off her own bowling, brought an end to her innings.
Grace Dignam (18 off 10) picked up the baton and gave the Rays a fighting chance as she struck Moscript for six and four in quick succession, however when Kurumi Ota cleaned bowled her at the start of the 19th over the writing was on the wall.
The Rays were eventually restricted to 98 for six leaving Mamushi to celebrate a title in their first year as a Japanese Franchise.
In the morning the match between the Titans and the Pacific Rays was reduced to ten overs per side and while Tebogo Macheke looked good for 30* from 24 balls to lead the Titans to 50 for six from their ten overs, Nethmi Senarathna made short work of the chase with her 32* from 21 balls.
The win was really set up by an excellent opening spell by Vivian Field who struck three times in the first three overs to have the Titans on the back foot and put the Rays on the way to a nine-wicket win.
The individual award were presented as follows:
- Batter of the Tournament: Erika Oda (107 runs at an average of 35.67)
- Bowler of the Tournament: Ayaka Kato-Stafford (8 wickets at an economy rate of 4.87)
- Tournament MVP: Malsha Shehani (93 runs & 8 wickets & 4 catches)
Highlights
Match Schedule
- All Matches are T20 Format starting at 10am and 2pm
- Tuesday, May 27th: Mamushi vs Titans / Titans vs Pacific Rays
- Wednesday, May 28th: Mamushi vs Pacific Rays / Mamushi vs Titans
- Friday, May 30th: Titans vs Pacific Rays / Pacific Rays vs Mamushi
- Saturday, May 31st: Mamushi vs Titans / Titans vs Pacific Rays
- Sunday, June 1st: Mamushi vs Pacific Rays / Finals
All highlights can be found on the JCA YouTube Channel