Papua New Guinea (PNG) has triumphed in the East Asia-Pacific Qualifier for the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup, securing a well-deserved spot in the prestigious tournament. In a thrilling encounter against the Philippines in East Asia-Pacific T20 Qualifiers, PNG emerged victorious with an impressive 100-run margin in Port Moresby. This victory assured them of a first-place finish in the qualifier, marking a significant milestone for the cricketing nation.
The foundation of PNG’s victory was laid by the incredible performances of Tony Ura, Assad Vala, and Charles Amini, who played quickfire fifties during their innings. After being put into bat, PNG managed to amass a formidable total of 229 for 6 in their allotted 20 overs. The Philippines, however, struggled to keep up with the pace and could only muster 129 for 7 during their chase, falling short of the target.
The Papua New Guinea team has been in remarkable form throughout the qualifier, winning all five of their matches leading up to this momentous victory. With their qualification secured, they will play their final match of the tournament against Japan on Saturday, seeking to maintain their unbeaten streak and build momentum for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
The 2024 T20 World Cup is set to be a grand event, jointly hosted by the West Indies and the USA. It is slated to feature a total of 20 teams competing for the coveted title. The teams will be divided into four groups of five for the initial round, and the top two teams from each group will advance to the Super 8 stage. In the Super 8 stage, the teams will be split into two groups of four, with the top two from each group advancing to the semi-finals.
Before the regional qualifiers, twelve teams had already secured their spots for the main tournament. These included the hosts, West Indies, and the USA, along with the top eight teams from the 2022 T20 World Cup – Australia, England, India, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, and Sri Lanka. Afghanistan and Bangladesh also qualified for the 2024 World Cup based on their T20I rankings.
Apart from Papua New Guinea, seven other teams will make it to the T20 World Cup through regional qualifiers. Ireland and Scotland earned their berths by finishing in the top two positions in the Europe Region Qualifier. In the coming months, qualifying tournaments will be held for the Americas (one spot), Africa (two spots), and Asia (two spots) to determine the final participants in the tournament.
