Port Moresby [Papua New Guinea]: Papua New Guinea secured their birth in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 after registering a thumping victory against the Philippines in the ongoing East Asia Pacific Qualifier on Friday.
Tournament hosts Papua New Guinea went into the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup East Asia Pacific Qualifier as favourites, they proved themselves at the Qualifier stage with consistent dominant performances.
Led by Assad Vala, the hosts maintained a solid form with wins in each of the five games played so far, twice against Vanuatu, the Philippines and once against Japan.
With their latest win against the Philippines, the PNG now have 10 points from five wins, which resulted in a confirmed place in the 2024 T20 World Cup with still one game to go, against Japan, on Saturday, July 29.
The PNG began their qualification dream with a dominant win against Vanuatu. The 19-year-old John Kariko led the bowling attack with a Player of the Match-worthy effort of 3/6, restricting Vanuatu to 71/8. The tournament hosts chased down the target in just 6.3 overs, sealing a comfortable nine-wicket win.
In their next clash, PNG made headlines against the Philippines, with Kabua Morea’s breathtaking five-wicket haul which also featured a hat-trick. After opting to bat, PNG posted a competitive 162/7. Morea wreaked havoc with his spell of 5/9 as the Philippines crumbled for 45.
They continued their winning streak by securing comfortable wins against Japan and Vanuatu in the next two games, registering victories by six wickets and 39 runs respectively.
In their latest encounter on Friday, PNG once again showcased their calibre as they cruised past the Philippines with a 100-run win in Port Moresby. An impressive 118-run opening partnership set up the hosts for a massive score of 229/6 in their 20 overs.
The target proved too high for the Philippines as the PNG bowlers restricted them to 129/7 and secured their qualification.