News & Articles

Singapore U16s Edge Thriller Against Japan

  • 2025-06-26
  • News & Articles
  • National Team (Men U19)

The men’s Japan Under 16 team fell to a narrow defeat against Singapore, despite an outstanding all round performance by captain Charlie Hara-Hinze.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat, Japan were in trouble early for the second game in succession.

At 29 for three they needed something special and Hara-Hinze combined with Skyler Nakayama-Cook in a rebuilding partnership of 117 from 180 balls as both registered their first half-centuries for Japan.

The captain struck four sixes on his way to a career best 77 from 81 balls, while Nakayama-Cook played the supporting role with 50 from 119, including four boundaries.

However, once the captain was dismissed off the first ball of the 41st over, Japan fell from a well-placed 146 for three to 165 all out as Singapore took the last seven wickets for just 19 runs in 31 balls.

Yuvaan Pandey finished things off with four for 27, but it was Kapish Venkatraman who did the real damage, his four for 41 included three in a calamitous 41st over which turned the contest on its head.

Singapore made a fast start with the bat, racing to 22 in the third over before Kaisei Kobayashi-Doggett made the breakthrough, which Charlie Hara-Hinze backed up the very next ball as suddenly Singapore were 22 for two.

Momentum shifted back Singapore’s way as captain Riaan Naik went on the offensive and as the hundred came up with Singapore still only three wickets down, it looked like a straightforward run chase.

However Japan roared back into the contest in the 23rd over as Juto Ball spun two in a row through the batters defences to make the score 108 for five.

Three overs later Charlie Hara-Hinze bowled another around his legs before Hugo Tani-Kelly trapped a seventh LBW with the score on 138 and Japan still hanging on with three wickets needed.

Naik remained unmoved however, and Japan were left to rue several chances to dismiss the Singapore captain, who finished the game with a six over midwicket to end 97 not out from just 90 balls. The next highest score was just 11.

The result means Singapore can claim second place and a spot in the semi finals if they defeat Bhutan on Thursday, while Japan are next in action on Tuesday 1st July against Indonesia in a contest which may well be a dead rubber.

The full match schedule is as follows: 

*Match times are JST

**Matches are 50 overs

All matches will be shown live on the Asia Cricket Council YouTube Channel 

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