Mongolia Bowled Out For 12 Runs By Japan, Marks Second-Lowest T20I Total

In a striking display of cricket, Mongolia faced a significant defeat against Japan in a T20 International match, recording a mere 12 runs, the second-lowest score in T20I history. This game took place on May 8, 2024, at the Sano International Cricket Ground, where the Mongolian team was unable to withstand the powerful Japanese bowling attack.

This match has notably placed Mongolia in the cricketing spotlight for all the wrong reasons, as they posted a total just slightly better than the Isle of Man's lowest-ever score of 10 against Spain in February 2023. This comes just seven months after Mongolia made their international cricket debut.

In this match, Japan set an imposing target of 218 runs, bolstered by Sabaorish Ravichandran's impressive innings of 69 runs. Mongolia's response was quickly curtailed by Japan's bowling attack, particularly by the young left-arm seamer Kazuma Kato-Stafford. At just 17 years old, Kato-Stafford claimed five wickets for only seven runs. His performance was complemented by Abdul Samad and Makoto Taniyama who both took two wickets each.

The Mongolian batting lineup struggled significantly against Japan's bowlers. Tur Sumaya was the highest scorer with only four runs, showcasing the difficulties faced by the Mongolian batsmen throughout their innings. Namsrai Bat-yalalt faced the most deliveries but was unable to convert this into a meaningful contribution to the team's total.

Mongolia's cricket journey has been challenging since their international debut at the Asian Games where they also faced heavy defeats. For instance, against Nepal, they were set a target of 315 but managed to score only 41 in response.

Despite these early challenges, cricket is gradually establishing itself in Mongolia thanks to enthusiasts like Battulga Gombo and Chris Hurd. Since 2014, their efforts have led to the development of cricket grounds and the launch of a schools' cricket program that has reached several provinces beyond Ulaanbaatar.