Announcement of the 2025 Japan Women’s National Team Development Squad and the Japan Women’s National Academy
The Japan Women’s National Team Selection Committee and the Japan National Academy (Women’s) Selection Committee—both co-chaired by Vinay Iyer—hereby announce the squad members for the 2025 season.
Please note that additional players may be selected for the squad based on their performance throughout the current season, including in events such as the Japan Women’s Premier League.
Japan Women’s National Team Development Squad
- Haruna Iwasaki (Sendai University Cricket Club)
- Kurumi Ota (Kawasaki Knight Riders Cricket Club)
- Meg Ogawa (Wyverns Cricket Club)
- Erika Oda (Kawasaki Knight Riders Cricket Club)
- Shimako Kato (Gunnersbury Women’s Cricket Club)
- Ayaka Kato-Stafford (Western Suburbs District Cricket Club)
- Elena Kusuda-Nairn (Sendai University Cricket Club)
- Hinase Goto (Doshisha University Cricket Club)
- Seika Sumi (Sendai University Cricket Club)
- Ahilya Chandel (Gordon Women’s Cricket Club)
- Erika Toguchi-Quinn (Melbourne Cricket Club)
- Akari Nishimura (Sendai University Cricket Club)
- Ayumi Fujikawa (Doshisha University Cricket Club)
- Kiyo Fujikawa (Adre Cricket Club)
- Rino Morita (Millanders Cricket Club)
- Nonoha Yasumoto (Kawasaki Knight Riders Cricket Club)
- Mai Yanagida (Wyverns Cricket Club)
As announced earlier this year, the women’s development squad has been reorganised, effective 2025, to establish the Japan National Academy (Women’s).
The Japan National Academy (Women’s) focuses on junior players. While the program aims to develop current and future Japan national team players, there is no age limit.
Furthermore, similar to the process for the women’s national team development squad, additional members may be selected based on their performance throughout the current season—for instance, in the Women’s U19 Japan Cricket League, the Women’s U16 Japan Cricket League, or the Women’s Japan Premier League.
Japan National Academy (Women’s)
- Anjali Ekanayaka (Women in Blue Cricket Club)
- Meika Akagi (J-STAR Project*)
- Mio Akizuki (J-STAR Project*)
- Kanato Iemura (J-STAR Project*)
- Minato Iemura (J-STAR Project*)
- Ayaka Ikeda (Uemiya Gakuen Junior & Senior High School Cricket Club)
- Chinatsu Oki (Wyverns Cricket Club)
- Ayaka Kaneda (Adore Cricket Club)
- Ishani Karunaratna (Women in Blue Cricket Club)
- Mamta Kaswan (Kawasaki Knight Riders Cricket Club)
- Binta Katwal (Kawasaki Knight Riders Cricket Club)
- Arisa Kawanobe (J-STAR Project*)
- Palak Gundecha (Kawasaki Knight Riders Cricket Club)
- Sarii Saito (J-STAR Project*) Ayane Sakuraba (Uegami Gakuen Junior & Senior High School Cricket Club)
- Mayuko Sano (N/A)
- Keine Tai (J-STAR Project*)
- Kaede Taniguchi (Uegami Gakuen Junior & Senior High School Cricket Club)
- Sana Toyokawa (Wyverns Cricket Club)
- Kokoro Namai (J-STAR Project*)
- Saheri Perera (Women in Blue Cricket Club)
- Mii Miyazaki (Uegami Gakuen Junior & Senior High School Cricket Club)
- Yu Yasue (Wyverns Cricket Club)
- Miku Yamaguchi (Uegami Gakuen Junior & Senior High School Cricket Club)
- Shurnari Ranade (Kawasaki Knight Riders Cricket Club)
*The J-STAR Project is an initiative designed to discover future top-tier athletes capable of excelling in world-class competitions. The cricket-related component of this project was carried out between late 2024 and early 2025, with support from organizations including the Japan Sport Council (JSC).
About the Japan Women’s National Development Squad
- Head Coach: Vinay Iyer
- Assistant Coach: Benjamin Ito-Davis
- Selection Committee: Vinay Iyer (Chair), Duncan Harrison, Benjamin Ito-Davis
The Japan Women’s National Development Squad serves as an inspiration... This is a squad of top-tier athletes that engages in year-round development and strengthening activities—including training sessions and competitive matches—with the goal of cultivating the Japan women’s national team. The Japan women’s national team, which competes in international tournaments and matches, is selected from this squad.
About the Japan National Academy (Women’s)
- Head Coach: Vinay Iyer
- Assistant Coach: Benjamin Ito-Davis
- Selection Committee: Vinay Iyer (Chair), Duncan Harrison, Benjamin Ito-Davis
The Japan National Academy consists of three categories: Men’s U19, Men’s U16, and Women’s. Each category serves as a squad for promising athletes within the respective age limits, conducting year-round development and strengthening activities such as training and competitive matches. The Women’s category is dedicated to developing the next generation of players. Furthermore, the Japan Women’s U19 national team—which competes in international tournaments and matches—is selected from the National Academy’s Women’s category. Additionally, players from this group may also be selected for the Japan women’s national team that competes in international tournaments and matches.
Women’s National Team Partner
- Mitsui Knowledge Industry Co., Ltd.
Mitsui Knowledge Industry Co., Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsui & Co., Ltd. specialized in providing services and products related to ICT (information and communication technology). Partnering with various global ICT vendors and supporting more than 1,500 companies, MKI offers best-in-class solutions to customers.
Website: https://www.mki.co.jp/english/