News

Papua New Guinea wins EAP regional qualifying tournament in Auckland, one of five regional qualifications events and they will join Ireland at the ICC World Twenty 20 Qualifiers in the UAE at the end of 2013

Six Associate & Affiliate Member sides will join the 10 Full Members at the ICC World Twenty20 2014 in Bangladesh
Papua New Guinea (PNG) has become the first team to advance to the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2013 from a regional qualification event, after defeating Vanuatu by 38 runs in the final of the Pepsi ICC East Asia-Pacific Men’s Championship 2013 in Auckland on Thursday.

PNG successfully defended the regional title it won in 2011, after going through this year’s tournament undefeated. In a hard fought 38-run win, the side posted 159 for six before dismissing Vanuatu for 121 in the final over to claim its second consecutive victory.

After electing to bat, PNG lost an early wicket, bringing Charles Amini to the crease. Amini top scored for PNG with 51 off 30 deliveries. His departure was followed by the loss of three quick wickets, before PNG scored some quick runs in the final over to finish with 159 for 6. Vanuatu’s Kenny Tari took two wickets for 26 runs.

Vanuatu opener Jonathon Dunn was dropped in the opening over, and Trevor Langa added some boundaries, but Vanuatu lost regular wickets. Norman Vanua and Pipi Raho each claimed three wickets, and Vanuatu was dismissed in the penultimate over for 121. PNG’s Charles Amini was named Man of the Match.

This is the second successive time that PNG has qualified for the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier. After winning the regional event in 2011, PNG was propelled to the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2012, where it lost to Nepal on the last ball in the seventh-place play-off match.

PNG captain Chris Amini was delighted with his team’s progression to the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2013, saying: “It was a great performance for the boys and to make it to Dubai is just reward for all the hard work and sacrifices we have made over the last 12 months.”

Coach Peter Anderson agreed, adding: “My whole goal and whole plan this year is heading towards the ICC World Twenty20 in 2014. That’s Associate countries’ best avenue to really push our way forward.”

ICC’s Global Development Manager Tim Anderson congratulated PNG on its victory, saying: “It has been an excellent performance by PNG. The team should be proud of its achievement; not only winning this tournament undefeated, but also progressing to the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2013.

“The Pepsi ICC East-Asia Pacific Men’s Championship 2013 marked the beginning of a busy and important period in the Pepsi ICC Development calendar. These tournaments are the pinnacle of the regional qualification structure that provides a clear pathway for Associate and Affiliate Members to qualify for the ICC World Twenty20 in 2014.”

The Pepsi ICC East Asia-Pacific Men’s Championship 2013 was the first of five regional qualifying tournaments that form part of the qualification process for next year’s ICC World Twenty20 in Bangladesh.

PNG will be joined in the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2013 by eight other teams from the remaining four regional qualifying tournaments, which will be staged over the next five months at various venues around the globe.

These nine regional qualifiers, together with the UAE, which has qualified automatically as the host country, will be joined by the six top teams from the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2012 – Afghanistan, Canada, Ireland, Namibia, Netherlands and Scotland – to make up the 16-team competition.

The top six finishers will advance to the ICC World Twenty20 2014 in Bangladesh, where they will lock horns with the 10 Full Member teams.

Forthcoming regional qualifying tournaments

Shortly after the completion of the East Asia-Pacific event, Uganda will host the Pepsi ICC Africa Division 1 Championship, and the USA will host Pepsi ICC Americas Division 1 in March.

In April, Nepal will host 10 teams for the ACC Men’s T20, while, in July, England will host Pepsi ICC Europe Division 1, in which 12 teams will battle for the final two positions available in the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2013.

The regional events form part of the Pepsi ICC Development Programme, which is responsible for building a bigger, better global game by assisting the 96 Associate and Affiliate Members grow and improve the standard of cricket within their territories.
ICC
No