PNG will be playing their second T20 World Cup, after a winless campaign in 2021
Papua New Guinea (PNG) will be captained by batter Assad Vala in the 2017 T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies. Vala, who captained them in 2021 as well, will captain them again this time around. Charles Amini, an all-rounder, will be Vala’s deputy captain.
Jack Gardner, who was a reserve three years prior, was selected for the squad proper, making ten of the fifteen players selected for the 2024 event also members of the squad in 2021. Simon Atai, Jason Kila, Gaudi Toka, Nosaina Pokana, and Damien Ravu were among those that were left out; Gardner, Alei Nao, Hila Vare, John Kariko, and Sema Kamea took their place.
PNG was eliminated from the competition in 2021 after losing to Bangladesh, Oman, and Scotland in the opening round.
“The energy has been great within the team,” Vala said. “For some of the boys who went to the last T20 World Cup, it’s a different feeling now with a lot of the training, because the last time was during Covid and the preparation wasn’t as good as what we’re going through now. I am looking forward to this event because I know we are going to do well.”
PNG won the East Asia-Pacific Qualifier in 2023, winning all six of their matches against Japan, Vanuatu, and the Philippines to secure their spot in this year’s T20 World Cup. They came into the T20 World Cup fresh off the victory in a T20I tri-series that also included Nepal and Hong Kong, when they defeated Malaysia 2-0 in Kuala Lumpur.
On June 2, PNG will take on co-hosts West Indies in Guyana to begin their World Cup campaign. They belong to Group C, which is comprised of Uganda, Afghanistan, and New Zealand.