Gul, Kharote spin Afghanistan to victory over Japan in Asian Games opener

Chasing a modest 130 in Nisshin, Japan were all out for 81 in the opening match of the men's cricket competition at the Asian Games

Afghanistan 129 for 6 (Akram 34, Sugaya-Slater 2-18) beat Japan 81 (Sakurano-Thomas 23, Gul 4-8, Kharote 3-19, Ahmadzai 2-13) by 48 runs

Right-arm wristspinner Arab Gul took 4 for 8 on T20I debut and left-arm spinner Nangeyalia Kharote picked up 3 for 19 as Afghanistan successfully defended a modest 129 against Japan to open their Asian Games men's competition campaign with two points in Group A.

Two days after nearly beating India in a rain-shortened game in Sano, hosts Japan made a steady start to the chase and reached 53 for 2 in the eighth over before losing their way.RelatedAsiad: All you need to know about the men's cricket competition

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Gul did much of the damage, taking two wickets apiece in the 12th and 14th overs as Japan slid from 60 for 4 to 63 for 8. Abdollah Ahmadzai and Kharote then finished off the lower order, with Japan bowled out for 81 in 19.3 overs.

Asked to bat first, Afghanistan had posted 129 for 6, with Mohammad Akram making 34, captain Darwish Rasooli 29 and Karim Janat 21.

But it was Mohammad Ishaq's unbeaten 25 off 17 balls from No. 6 that provided the late impetus after Japan had kept Afghanistan to under six an over for the first 15 overs. Right-arm seamer Shoma Sugaya-Slater and offspinner Ibrahim Takahashi took two wickets apiece for Japan.

The two sides have games against Nepal lined up in Group A. The top two teams from the group will proceed to the quarter-finals.