Japan vs Bahrain Final T20 Live Score and Match Report 2026
Japan vs Bahrain : The stage is set for an exciting finale in Bangkok as Japan take on Bahrain in the championship match of the Quadrangular T20I Series in Thailand 2026 at the Terdthai Cricket Ground . Bahrain won the toss and elected to field first, putting Japan into bat under overcast conditions .
The match promises to be a gripping contest between two teams that finished at the top of the league standings. Japan enter the final as the tournament’s dominant force, having won all their league matches, including a comprehensive 8-wicket victory over Bahrain just two days ago on February 26 . Bahrain, despite their loss to Japan, secured their place in the final with two wins from three games .
Japan vs Bahrain : Match Details at a Glance
Detail Information
- Match Japan vs Bahrain, Final
- Series Quadrangular T20I Series in Thailand, 2026
- Venue Terdthai Cricket Ground, Bangkok
- Date February 28, 2026
- Toss Bahrain won the toss and elected to field
- Time 12:00 PM IST (06:30 GMT)
- Umpires Ashwani Kumar Rana (THA), Samad Akbar (THA)
- Streaming FanCode
Read Also Here: Peshawar Zalmi Sign Tymal Mills for PSL 11
Live Scorecard (In Progress)
Japan Innings
- Batter R B 4s 6s SR How Out
- Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming (c) 6* 11 0 0 54.54 not out
- Abhishek Anand 0 2 0 0 0.00 lbw b Ali Dawood
- Esam Rahman 0 2 0 0 0.00 b Ali Dawood
- Benjamin Ito-Davis 10* 9 0 1 111.11 not out
- Extras 0
- Total 16/2 (4 overs) RR: 4.00
Fall of Wickets
- Score Batter Over
- 1/1 Abhishek Anand 0.4
- 1/2 Esam Rahman 1.0
Bahrain Bowling
- Bowler O M R W ECON
- Ali Dawood 2 0 3 2 1.50
- Muhammad Rizwan Butt 2 0 13 0 6.50
Match Summary and Key Moments
Early Breakthroughs for Bahrain
Bahrain’s decision to bowl first paid immediate dividends when Ali Dawood struck twice in his first over . In the fourth ball of the innings, Abhishek Anand was trapped lbw for a duck . Then, in the very first ball of the following over, Dawood clean bowled Esam Rahman for another duck, leaving Japan reeling at 1/2 after just one over .
Recovery Through Kadowaki-Fleming and Ito-Davis
Captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming held firm at one end, playing a patient innings of 6 off 11 balls to stabilize the innings . He found an able partner in Benjamin Ito-Davis, who counter-attacked with a six off Rizwan Butt in the 4th over, the only boundary of the innings so far . The pair have added 15 runs for the third wicket, taking Japan to 16/2 after 4 overs .
Tournament Context and Team Form
Japan: Dominant Throughout
Japan has been the team to beat in this tournament, finishing top of the league standings with 6 points from three games and a superb net run rate of 3.830 . They won all their league matches, including a commanding 37-run victory over Thailand in the tournament opener on February 25, followed by an 8-wicket win against Bahrain on February 26 .
Key players for Japan include captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming, who has an impressive T20I record with 1,752 runs in 48 matches at an average of 39.81 and strike rate of 143.02 . Benjamin Ito-Davis has been effective with both bat and ball, taking 27 wickets at an economy of 4.20 .
Bahrain: Fighting Their Way to the Final
Bahrain finished second in the league standings with 4 points from three games, though their net run rate of -0.893 reflects some inconsistent performances . They secured two wins to reach the final but suffered a loss to Japan in the league stage .
Their bowling attack is led by Ali Dawood, who has an impressive T20I record with 73 matches and 14.74 bowling average . Captain Ahmer Bin Nasir leads from the front with 92 matches of experience .
Head-to-Head Record
According to available statistics, Japan has won their only previous encounter in this tournament, defeating Bahrain by 8 wickets on February 26 . The Times of India reports that in the last year, Japan has won 9 out of 14 matches (64.29% win rate), while Bahrain has won 32 out of 44 matches (72.73% win rate) .
Pitch Report and Conditions
The Terdthai Cricket Ground in Bangkok offers a balanced surface that traditionally favors batters while providing assistance to bowlers who hit the right lengths . The pitch is described as batting-friendly with an average first innings score of 158 .
Key Factors:
- Weather: Overcast conditions at the start, which aided Bahrain’s decision to bowl first
- Temperature: Around 32°C with 57% humidity
- Pitch nature: Batting-friendly with good pace and carry
- Chasing record: Teams batting second have won 59% of matches at this venue
- Spin vs Pace: Spinners take approximately 51% of wickets at this ground
Full Squads
Japan Squad
Player Role
- Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming (c) Batter (LHB)
- Benjamin Ito-Davis All-rounder (RHB/OB)
- Charles Hara-Hinze All-rounder (LHB/SLO)
- Wataru Miyauchi Batter (RHB)
- Makoto Taniyama All-rounder (RHB/LBG)
- Kohei Kubota Bowler (RHB/RM)
- Ibrahim Takahashi All-rounder (RHB/OB)
- Alexander Shirai Patmore Wicketkeeper (LHB)
- Declan Suzuki All-rounder (LHB/RM)
- Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake Batter (RHB/OS)
- Abhishek Anand All-rounder (RHB/RM)
- Abdul Samad Bowler (RHB/RM)
- Esam Rahman Batter (RHB)
- Sabaorish Ravichandran All-rounder (RHB/LB)
- Kiefer Yamamoto-Lake All-rounder (LHB/RM)
Bahrain Squad
Player Role
- Ahmer Bin Nasir (c) All-rounder (RHB)
- Ali Dawood Bowler (RHB/RFM)
- Muhammad Rizwan Butt All-rounder (RHB/RM)
- Abdul Majid All-rounder (LHB/SLO)
- Asif Ali All-rounder (LHB/SLO)
- Sohail Ahmed All-rounder (RHB/OB)
- Fiaz Ahmed Batter (RHB)
- Prashant Kurup Wicketkeeper (RHB)
- Yaseer Nazeer Wicketkeeper (RHB)
- Imran Khan All-rounder (RHB/RM)
- Asif Shaikh Bowler (RHB/LS)
- Muhammad Salman Bowler (RHB/SLO)
- Abdullah Mohd Yousaf Bowler (RHB/RM)
- Shujaat Rasool All-rounder (RHB/RM)
What to Watch in the Remainder of the Match
Key Battles
Kadowaki-Fleming vs Ali Dawood: The Japan captain has weathered the early storm and will look to accelerate. Dawood has two wickets already and will be brought back to break this partnership.
Ito-Davis vs Rizwan Butt: Ito-Davis has shown intent with a six off Butt. The Bahrain pacer will want revenge.
Middle Order Depth: With two early wickets down, Japan’s middle order of Charles Hara-Hinze and Makoto Taniyama will need to step up.
Targets and Scenarios
Japan’s target: After the early setbacks, Japan will look to build a partnership and aim for a competitive total of 140-150
Bahrain’s approach: With the new ball bowlers successful, Bahrain will continue to attack with spin in the middle overs
Analysis by Best Pak Mag
This Japan vs Bahrain final is shaping up as a classic battle between tournament dominance and fighting spirit. Japan entered the final as the clear favorites after winning all their league matches, including a comprehensive victory over Bahrain just two days ago . However, Bahrain’s decision to bowl first and the early strikes by Ali Dawood have completely shifted the momentum.
Dawood’s double strike in his first over—removing both openers—demonstrates why he is such a valuable asset for Bahrain. With 73 T20I matches under his belt, his experience at this level is invaluable . The way he set up both wickets, first trapping Anand lbw with a ball that kept low, then clean bowling Rahman with a perfect yorker, shows his versatility .
For Japan, captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming has shown the composure expected of a leader. His 1,752 runs at an average of nearly 40 speak to his quality, and he will need to anchor the innings from here . Benjamin Ito-Davis’s counter-attacking six off Rizwan Butt was a statement—Japan will not simply shut up shop .
The pitch at Terdthai Cricket Ground has historically favored batters, with an average first innings score of 158 . Japan will need at least 140-150 to be competitive, and with wickets in hand and power hitters like Charles Hara-Hinze to come, they are still in this game.
Bahrain’s 72.73% win rate in the last year compared to Japan’s 64.29% shows that on paper, this is a closely matched contest . The difference today may come down to which team handles the pressure of a final better.
With the match still in progress, the next 10 overs will be crucial. If Japan can rebuild without losing further wickets, they can post a challenging total. If Bahrain continue to strike at regular intervals, they will restrict Japan to a modest score and be favorites to chase.
Read More Here:
