Papua New Guinea has named Assad Vala and Charles Amini as captain and vice-captain of the national team for the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup.
This will be the island nation’s second appearance in a T20 World Cup, the previous appearance coming in the 2021 edition in the United Arab Emirates. Assad Vala had also led Papua New Guinea then, but as expected the team was eliminated from the group stage after losing three Group B games against Scotland, Bangladesh and Oman.
Cadre composition of Papua New Guinea led by Assad Vala
Papua New Guinea will travel to the USA and the West Indies for the 2024 T20 World Cup with a very similar squad to the 2021 edition. Of the 15-man squad, 10 players are those who will represent the nation in their first appearance at an ICC event represented.
Expectations will be high for PNG this time under the leadership of Assad Vala, the country’s leading run-scorer in one-day cricket. His vice-captain Charles Amini is PNG’s third highest runscorer.
While Assad Vala scored 2003 runs at an average of 30.81 from 2014 to 2023, Amini has scored 1128 runs at an average of 23.50. In terms of number of wickets, Vala is PNG’s third highest wicket taker 55 wickets while Amini is the fifth highest with 32 wickets.
Apart from these two, Tony Ura, PNG’s leading run-scorer in T20 internationals, finds himself in the squad. In bowling, the squad also includes Norman Vanua, who is the country’s biggest wicket-taker with 63 wickets. Some other prominent names like Sese Bau, Jack Gardner, Chad Soper and Kiplin Doriga are also in the squad.
Papua New Guinea is heading to the 20-team ICC T20 World Cup 2024 after finishing first in the East Asia-Pacific Qualifier last year. In it, PNG achieved six wins against Japan, Vanuatu and the Philippines. They also performed well in the recent T20I series in Malaysia, winning 2-0 before facing Nepal and Hong Kong in a tri-series.
But there is no denying that they have been placed in a very difficult group. Papua New Guinea, drawn in Group C, will face hosts West Indies, 2021 runners-up New Zealand, up-and-coming team Afghanistan and minnows such as Uganda.
Papua New Guinea squad and fixture list for the T20 World Cup
PNG begin their campaign with a clash against the West Indies in Guyana on June 2 before facing Uganda on June 5 at the same venue. In their final two group games they face Afghanistan on June 13th and New Zealand on June 17th in Trinidad.
PNG’s squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024: Tony Ura, Sese Bau, Assad Vala (center), Lega Siaka, Charles Amini (VC), Hiri Hiri, Hila Vare, Chad Soper, Kiplin Doriga, Norman Vanua, Kabua Morea, Alei Nao, John Kariko, Jack Gardner and Semo Kamea