The PNG Barramundis are one of the first teams to arrive in Ireland ahead of the ICC World T20 Qualifier, and are determined to go one better than the 2013 Qualifier in United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The PNG Barramundis are in Pool A with Nepal, Hong Kong, Namibia, USA, Jersey and hosts Ireland.
Fresh from an impressive Intercontinental Cup debut against the Netherlands last month, the Barramundis will be aiming to convert its form from the longer format to T20 cricket.
Assad Va’a is a destructive batsman on his day, while newcomer Loa Nou has been in sparkling form with the ball, and it will be interesting to see if he can maintain his blistering return to international cricket.
Wicketkeeper/batsman Jack Vare will lead the team having played in 18 T20Is for his country.
Eight of the 14 teams have participated in the main competition, with Canada, Namibia, PNG, USA, Oman and Jersey (in its debut outing in the World T20 Qualifier) hoping to make it for the first time.
Head Coach Dipak Patel said “the World Cricket League matches were a great learning curve for our players in many aspects.
“They are experiencing all the difficulties of touring in the Northern hemisphere, adverse weather, pitch conditions and more experienced teams who are well rehearsed playing all forms of the game. We have learnt a lot about ourselves and remain positive moving into the ICC World T20 qualifier in Ireland,” Patel said.
“The squad are under no illusion that we are still learning to be more competitive and we touchdown in Ireland in a positive mood knowing we have a lot of hard work ahead of us. We’d like thank everyone for the support we continue to receive from our families and the cricket public,” Patel concluded.
The top six sides from the 18-day tournament, during which 51 matches will be played, will join the 10 Full Members for the ICC World Twenty20 India 2016, which will be held from 11 March to 3 April, 2016.
According to the format of the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2015, the sides that top the two groups will automatically qualify for the ICC World Twenty20 India 2016, while the sides that finish second and third in each of the two groups will play cross-over matches with the two winners joining the table-toppers for the India tournament.
Live scores will be available throughout the tournament. http:https://www.icc-cricket.com/world-t20-qualifier.
Warm-up matches:
Mon, 6 July (1000-1310) – Nepal v Oman, Stormont, Belfast; PNG v Kenya, Bready, Co. Tyrone; Scotland v Namibia, The Grange, Edinburgh; Netherlands v Hong Kong, Myreside, Edinburgh
Mon, 6 July (1415-1725) – Ireland v UAE, Stormont, Belfast; USA v local side, Bready, Co. Tyrone; Canada v local side, The Grange, Edinburgh; Afghanistan v Jersey, Myreside, Edinburgh
Tue, 7 July (1000-1310) – Nepal v UAE, Stormont, Belfast; local team v PNG, Bready, Co. Tyrone; Scotland v Jersey, Goldenacre, Edinburgh; local team v Netherlands, New Williamfield, Stirling
Tue, 7 July (1415-1725) – Ireland v Oman, Stormont, Belfast; Kenya v USA, Bready, Co. Tyrone; Canada v Namibia, Goldenacre, Edinburgh; Afghanistan v Hong Kong, New Williamfield, Stirling
Tournament matches:
Thurs, 9 July – Scotland v UAE, The Grange, Edinburgh (1000-1310); Netherlands v Afghanistan, The Grange, Edinburgh (1415-1725)
Fri, 10 July – Ireland v Namibia, Stormont, Belfast (1000-1310); Canada v Kenya, Myreside, Edinburgh (1000-1310); Nepal v USA, Stormont, Belfast (1415-1725); UAE v Afghanistan, The Grange, Edinburgh 1415-1725
Sat, 11 July – Hong Kong v Jersey, Bready, Co. Tyrone (1000-1310); Scotland v Netherlands, The Grange, Edinburgh (1000-1310); Kenya v Oman, Myreside, Edinburgh (1000-1310); Nepal v Namibia, Stormont, Belfast (1415-1725)
Sun, 12 July – Ireland v USA, Stormont, Belfast (1000-1310); PNG v Jersey, Bready, Co. Tyrone (1000-1310); UAE v Netherlands, The Grange, Edinburgh (1000-1310); Canada v Oman, New Williamfield, Stirling (1000-1310); Scotland v Afghanistan, The Grange, Edinburgh (1415-1725)
Mon, 13 July – Namibia v USA, Stormont, Belfast (1000-1310); Hong Kong v PNG, Bready, Co. Tyrone (1000-1310); Ireland v Nepal, Stormont, Belfast (1415-1725); Afghanistan v Kenya, New Williamfield, Stirling (1415-1725)
Tue, 14 July – Netherlands v Oman, Myreside, Edinburgh (1000-1310); UAE v Canada, New Williamfield, Stirling (1000-1310); Scotland v Kenya, The Grange, Edinburgh (1415-1725)
Wed, 15 July – Ireland v PNG, Stormont, Belfast (1000-1310); USA v Jersey, Bready, Co. Tyrone (1000-1310); Afghanistan v Oman, Goldenacre, Edinburgh (1000-1310); Nepal v Hong Kong, Stormont, Belfast (1415-1725); UAE v Kenya, Goldenacre, Edinburgh (1415-1725)
Thurs, 16 July – Scotland v Canada, Goldenacre, Edinburgh (1000-1310)
Fri, 17 July – Nepal v PNG, Malahide, Dublin (1000-1310); Namibia v Jersey, Clontarf (1000-1310); Netherlands v Canada, Goldenacre, Edinburgh (1000-1310); UAE v Oman, New Williamfield, Stirling (1000-1310); Ireland v Hong Kong, Malahide, Dublin (1415-1725)
Sat, 18 July – Nepal v Jersey, Malahide, Dublin (1000-1310); Scotland v Oman, Goldenacre, Edinburgh (1000-1310); Afghanistan v Canada, New Williamfield, Stirling (1000-1310); PNG v Namibia, Malahide, Dublin (1415-1725); Hong Kong v USA, Clontarf, Dublin (1415-1725); Netherlands v Kenya, Myreside, Edinburgh (1415-1725)
Sun, 19 July – Ireland v Jersey, Malahide, Dublin (1000-1310); PNG v USA, Malahide, Dublin (1415-1725); Hong Kong v Namibia, Clontarf, Dublin (1415-1725)
Tue, 21 July – Qualifying Play-Off 1 (A2 v B3), Malahide, Dublin (1000-1310); Qualifying Play-Off 2 (A3 v B2), Malahide, Dublin (1415-1725)
Thurs, 23 July – Qualifying Play-Off 3 (A4 v loser Qualifying Play-Off 1, Malahide, Dublin (1000-1310); Qualifying Play-Off 4 (B4 v loser Qualifying Play-Off 2, Malahide, Dublin (1415-1725)
Sat, 25 July – Semi-final (B1 v Winner Qualifying Play-off 1), Malahide, Dublin (1000-1310); fifth/sixth position play-off (winner play-off 3 v winner play-off 4), Clontarf, Dublin (1000-1310); Semi-final (A1 v Winner Qualifying Play-off 2), Malahide, Dublin (1415-1725)
Sun, 26 July – Third place play-off, Malahide, Dublin (1000-1310); Final, Malahide, Dublin (1415-1725)
PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Jack Vare (captain), Charles Amini, Sese Bau, John Boge Reva, Mahuru Dai, Willie Gavera, Loa Nou, Kila Pala, Pipi Raho, Lega Siaka, Chad Soper, Tony Ura, Vani Vagi, Assadollah Va’a, Norman Vanua
Source: Cricket PNG
