2023 Pacific Island Cricket Challenge
The2023 Pacific Island Cricket Challengeconsisted of a men'sTwenty20 International(T20I) and awomen's Twenty20 International(WT20I)crickettournament, that took place inSuva,Fiji,in March 2023.[1][2]
Both events featured men's and women's national teams fromFiji,Papua New Guinea,SamoaandVanuatu,as well as team representing theAustralia and New Zealand Army Corps(ANZAC), with all games played atAlbert ParkinSuva.[3]Papua New Guineaentered an academy team in the men's tournament due to their senior side playing aCricket World Cup League 2series inNepal.[4]The event was sponsored by theAustralian Defence Forceand also saw representatives from other Pacific island nations such as theCook IslandsandNew Caledoniatake part in training sessions to help boost the standard of cricket across the region.[5]The arrival of the Vanuatu teams was delayed by the impact ofCyclones Judy and Kevinon the country.[6]
Papua New Guinea won both the men's and women's tournaments.[7][8]
Men's tournament
[edit]| Dates | 11 – 18 March 2023 |
|---|---|
| Administrator(s) | Australian Defence ForceandCricket Fiji |
| Cricket format | Twenty20,Twenty20 International |
| Tournament format(s) | Round-robinandknockout |
| Host(s) |  Fiji |
| Champions |  Papua New Guinea XI |
| Runners-up |  Vanuatu |
| Participants | 5 |
| Matches | 14 |
| Player of the series | Nalin Nipiko |
| Most runs | Nalin Nipiko(271) |
| Most wickets |  Timezeen Rapi (10) |
Squads
[edit]| ANZAC Barbarians[4] | Fiji[9][10]
|
Papua New Guinea XI[11]
|
Samoa[12]
|
Vanuatu[6]
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Round-robin
[edit]Points table
[edit]| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | NR | Pts | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Papua New Guinea XI
|
4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1.516 |
| 2 | Vanuatu
|
4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0.992 |
| 3 | ANZAC Barbarians | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1.249 |
| 4 | Fiji
|
4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | −0.409 |
| 5 | Samoa
|
4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | −3.188 |
Source: ESPNcricinfo[13]
Qualified forthe semi-finals
Fixtures
[edit]v
|
ANZAC Barbarians
131 (19.5 overs) | |
Peni Dakainivanua 51*(44)
Marc Chappel 2/22 (2 overs) |
Lewin Maladay 33 (26)
Peni Dakainivanua 3/14 (4 overs) |
- Fiji won the toss and elected to bat.
v
|
||
Lega Siaka71 (45)
Timezeen Rapi 2/28 (4 overs) |
Matthew Faatea 27 (34)
Jack Gardner 3/18 (3 overs) |
- Samoa won the toss and elected to field.
v
|
||
Cakacaka Veretaki 54*(43)
Jack Gardner 2/18 (4 overs) |
- Fiji won the toss and elected to bat.
- Papua New Guinea XI were set a revised target of 135 runs from 16 overs.
v
|
||
Ronald Tari56 (40)
Timezeen Rapi 3/18 (4 overs) |
Paul Rarotoga 56 (39)
Simpson Obed4/29 (4 overs) |
- Samoa won the toss and elected to field.
- Matthew Faatea, Liuone Fereti, Maletino Maiava, Bondi Pita, Josef Pita, Timezeen Rapi, Paul Rarotoga, Sitanisilao Toutai, Maene Tuilaepa (Sam) and Godfrey Mangau (Van) all made their T20I debuts.
ANZAC Barbarians
151/8 (20 overs) |
v
|
|
Lewin Maladay 48 (26)
Apolinaire Stephen2/23 (4 overs) |
Nalin Nipiko58 (30)
Matthew Guest 2/20 (4 overs) |
- Vanuatu won the toss and elected to field.
v
|
||
Cakacaka Veretaki 60 (41)
Darren Roache 1/27 (3 overs) |
Josef Pita 46 (39)
Petero Cabebula 4/14 (3.1 overs) |
- Fiji won the toss and elected to bat.
- Peni Dakainivanua, Peni Kotoisuva, Villame Manakitoga, Siteri Tabuisulu, Cakacaka Veretaki (Fij) and Aoga Leutogi (Sam) all made their T20I debuts.
ANZAC Barbarians
172/9 (20 overs) |
v
|
|
Tom Lavender 87 (47)
Timezeen Rapi 3/19 (4 overs) |
Darren Roache 10 (9)
Matthew Shean 4/11 (4 overs) |
- ANZAC Barbarians won the toss and elected to bat.
v
|
||
Junior Kaltapau 25 (26)
Nosaina Pokana2/18 (4 overs) |
Doko Rupa 76 (48)
Joshua Rasu2/32 (4 overs) |
- Vanuatu won the toss and elected to bat.
ANZAC Barbarians
168/5 (20 overs) |
v
|
|
Simon Behl 52 (25)
Mahuru Dai2/31 (4 overs) |
Vani Morea66 (41)
William Schiwy 4/28 (3.4 overs) |
- Papua New Guinea XI won the toss and elected to field.
v
|
||
Nalin Nipiko100 (49)
Peni Kotoisuva 2/56 (4 overs) |
Saimoni Tuitoga 27 (31)
Nalin Nipiko3/34 (4 overs) |
- Fiji won the toss and elected to field.
- Uraia Sorovakatini, Saimoni Tuitoga (Fij) and Ala Viraliliu (Van) all made their T20I debuts.
- Nalin Nipiko(Van) scored his first century in T20Is.[14]
Semi-finals
[edit]v
|
||
Junior Kaltapau 48 (34)
Seru Tupou 3/6 (2 overs) |
Seru Tupou 30 (36)
Joshua Rasu2/14 (4 overs) |
- Vanuatu won the toss and elected to bat.
v
|
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Toa Nou 28 (22)
Sitanisilao Toutai 2/21 (3 overs) |
Darren Roache 13 (13)
Toa Nou 2/2 (1.1 overs) |
- Samoa won the toss and elected to field.
Third-place play-off
[edit]v
|
||
Noa Acawei 48*(22)
Afapene Ilaoa 2/28 (3 overs) |
Timezeen Rapi 28 (19)
Peni Dakainivanua 4/32 (4 overs) |
- Fiji won the toss and elected to bat.
- Afapene Ilaoa (Sam) made his T20I debut.
Final
[edit]v
|
||
Nalin Nipiko54 (38)
Patrick Nou 3/14 (4 overs) |
- Papua New Guinea XI won the toss and elected to bat.
Women's tournament
[edit]| Dates | 11 – 18 March 2023 |
|---|---|
| Administrator(s) | Australian Defence ForceandCricket Fiji |
| Cricket format | Women's Twenty20,Twenty20 International |
| Tournament format(s) | Round-robinandknockout |
| Host(s) | Fiji |
| Champions | Papua New Guinea |
| Runners-up | Vanuatu |
| Participants | 5 |
| Matches | 14 |
| Player of the series | Selina Solman |
| Most runs | Tanya Ruma(177) |
| Most wickets | Hollan Doriga(13) |
Squads
[edit]| ANZAC Barbarians[4] | Fiji[15]
|
Papua New Guinea[16]
|
Samoa[17]
|
Vanuatu[6]
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
Round-robin
[edit]Points table
[edit]| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | NR | Pts | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Papua New Guinea
|
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 5.806 |
| 2 | Vanuatu
|
4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1.044 |
| 3 | Fiji
|
4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | −1.235 |
| 4 | Samoa
|
4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | −2.389 |
| 5 | ANZAC Barbarians | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | −3.690 |
Source: ESPNcricinfo[18]
Qualified forthe semi-finals
Fixtures
[edit]v
|
||
Jacinta Sanele 10 (25)
Ravina Oa3/5 (2.4 overs) |
- Papua New Guinea won the toss and elected to bat.
- Ituniu Faleupolu, Vicky Tafea, Salema Toomaga and Matile Uliao (Sam) all made their WT20I debuts.
ANZAC Barbarians
48 (12.2 overs) |
v
|
|
Elizabeth Drake 15 (16)
Karalaini Vakuruivalu 3/10 (3 overs) |
Ruci Muriyalo 27*(19)
Kirsten Benzie 2/8 (2 overs) |
- Fiji won the toss and elected to field.
v
|
||
Rachel Andrew 42 (33)
Taalili Iosefo 2/12 (2 overs) |
Taalili Iosefo 29 (18)
Marcelina Mete 2/11 (3 overs) |
- Vanuatu won the toss and elected to bat.
- Samoa were set a revised target of 96 runs from 15 overs due to rain.
- Gillian Chilia and Tina Kalosin (Van) both made their WT20I debuts.
v
|
||
- Fiji won the toss and elected to field.
v
|
||
Matile Uliao 15 (16)
Ruci Muriyalo 3/17 (4 overs) |
Ruci Muriyalo 49*(47)
Ariota Kupito 1/10 (1 overs) |
- Fiji won the toss and elected to field.
- Cilia Lewatu (Fij) made her T20I debut.
v
|
ANZAC Barbarians
107/5 (20 overs) | |
Jenn Harmon 25*(22)
Netty Chilia 2/15 (4 overs) |
- Vanuatu won the toss and elected to bat.
v
|
||
- Vanuatu won the toss and elected to bat.
ANZAC Barbarians
84/7 (20 overs) |
v
|
|
Meagan Campbell 26 (30)
Ariota Kupito 2/10 (3 overs) |
- ANZAC Barbarians won the toss and elected to bat.
v
|
||
Ruci Muriyalo 16 (25)
Valenta Langiatu3/6 (4 overs) |
Rachel Andrew 14 (20)
Ruci Muriyalo 1/6 (2.1 overs) |
- Vanuatu won the toss and elected to field.
- Mereani Rodan (Fij) made her WT20I debut.
ANZAC Barbarians
74/8 (20 overs) |
v
|
|
Tayla Seymour 16 (33)
Hollan Doriga4/13 (3 overs) |
- ANZAC Barbarians won the toss and elected to bat.
Semi-finals
[edit]v
|
||
Florence Agaimalo 21 (29)
Hollan Doriga3/13 (3 overs) |
- Papua New Guinea won the toss and elected to bat.
- Angel Sootaga (Sam) made her WT20I debut.
v
|
||
Ateca Kainoco 12 (20)
Netty Chilia 3/7 (3 overs) |
Selina Solman16 (16)
Karalaini Vakuruivalu 3/22 (4 overs) |
- Vanuatu won the toss and elected to field.
Third-place play-off
[edit]v
|
||
Kolotita Nonu 27 (43)
Melaia Biu 3/19 (4 overs) |
Sulia Vuni 9 (11)
Florence Agaimalo 3/7 (3 overs) |
- Fiji won the toss and elected to field.
- Apolonia Polataivao (Sam) made her WT20I debut.
Final
[edit]v
|
||
Sibona Jimmy37 (38)
Marcelina Mete 3/26 (4 overs) |
Rayline Ova 7 (6)
Vicky Araa3/5 (2.3 overs) |
- Vanuatu won the toss and elected to field.
- Louise Tastuki (Van) made her WT20I debut.
Notes
[edit]- ^Jone Wesele was named as captain of the Fiji men's squad, but Peni Vuniwaqa captained the side.
References
[edit]- ^"Vanuatu men's cricketers reap earnings boost as 2023 contracts announced".Vanuatu Cricket Association.3 February 2023.Retrieved3 February2023.
- ^"Samoa's cricketers gearing up for Pacific Islands Cup".Samoa Observer.Retrieved19 January2023.
- ^"Cricket Fiji will co-host the inaugural Pacific Island Cricket Challenge 2023".Fiji Village.Retrieved5 February2023.
- ^abc"Cricket Fiji to host Men's/Women's Pacific Island Cricket Challenge in March 2023".Czarsportz.11 February 2023.Retrieved11 February2023.
- ^"Plans to revive cricket".The Fiji Times.Retrieved4 February2023.
- ^abc"National Men's & Women's Team to Travel to Fiji for Inaugural Pacific Island Cricket Challenge 2023".Vanuatu Cricket Association.10 March 2023.Retrieved10 March2023.
- ^"PNG rules cricket".Fiji Times.19 March 2023.Retrieved19 March2023.
- ^"PNG teams win tourney".The National.Retrieved20 March2023.
- ^"Cricket Fiji prepares for PICC23".The Fiji Times.6 February 2023.Retrieved6 February2023.
- ^"The National Men's team that will represent Fiji to the inaugural Pacific Island Cricket Challenge (PICC23) was announced today".Cricket Fiji (via Facebook).24 February 2023.Retrieved24 February2023.
- ^"Academy squads to compete in challenge".The National.Retrieved11 February2023.
- ^"Samoa names strong team for Pacific Cup".Samoa Observer.Retrieved6 February2023.
- ^"Pacific Island Men Cricket Challenge 2022/23".ESPNcricinfo.Retrieved16 March2023.
- ^"Holiday Inn Resort Vanuatu Men's & Women's Team Through to Pacific Island Cricket Challenge Final".Vanuatu Cricket Association.Retrieved17 March2023.
- ^"Cricket teams challenged".FBC News.Retrieved5 February2023.
- ^"Cricket PNG announces final squad for PICC".PNG Haus Bung.9 February 2023.Retrieved9 February2023.
- ^"Samoa gears up for Pacific Island Cricket Challenge 2023".Loop Samoa.6 February 2023.Retrieved6 February2023.
- ^"Pacific Island Women Cricket Challenge 2022/23".ESPNcricinfo.Retrieved16 March2023.
