2025 Women's PacificAus Sports Invitational
| Dates | 15 – 21 June 2025 |
|---|---|
| Administrator(s) | Cricket PNG |
| Cricket format | Twenty20 International |
| Tournament format(s) | Round-robin |
| Host(s) | Papua New Guinea |
| Champions | Papua New Guinea |
| Runners-up | Australia Indigenous |
| Participants | 4 |
| Matches | 12 |
| Most runs | Rachel Andrew (145)[1] |
| Most wickets | Christina Coulson (11) Isabel Toua (11) |
The 2025 Women's PacificAus Sports Invitational was a Twenty20 International (T20I) cricket tournament that took place in Papua New Guinea from 15 to 21 June 2025. This was the inaugural edition of annual Women's PacificAus Sports Invitational tournament, a first-of-its-kind event that brings Pacific and First Nations cricketers together.[2][3] This tournament was played as a part of Papua New Guinea's 50th independence celebrations.[4] The participating teams were Australia Indigenous, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Vanuatu. The tournament is hosted by Cricket PNG, and supported by PacificAus sports programme of the Australian Government and Cricket Australia. This was following the renewal of PacificAus partnership with cricket in the Pacific region.[5] The tournament was played as a tribute to the relations between Australia across the Blue Pacific. These matches were the first Women's Twenty20 International matches played in Papua New Guinean soil.[6]
The teams competed in a double round-robin, after which Papua New Guinea won the title for finishing at top of the points table. PNG finished with four wins and one loss, and won the title by having a higher net run rate than the next placed Australia Indigenous team with equal points.[7]
Australia's High Commissioner to Samoa, HE Will Robinson said “The Australian Government is proud to partner with the Samoa International Cricket Association to help the Samoan team to attend the inaugural PacificAus Sports Cricket Invitational".[8] Previously, PacificAus Sports had supported Samoan cricket team by a visit from Australian cricketer Cathryn Fitzpatrick ahead of the 2025 Under-19 Women's T20 World Cup in January 2025, which was the first time Samoa had qualified for an ICC World Cup tournament at any level.[9][10]
The tournament was supported by numerous sponsors and supporting partners, which included Capital Insurance, Steel Industries, MJ Electrical, Dulux, Pure Water, Boroko Motors, Brian Bell, Pacific International Hospital, Digicel, Royal Papua Yacht Club, Black Swan Security Services, Bishop Brothers, PNG Motors, BOC Gases, Guard Dog Security Services, Queensland Cricket, Business for Health PNG, Olympic Committee and Business Coalition for Women.[11]
On 18 June, the teams were welcomed by a tea reception from the Australian High Commissioner to PNG and the Special Envoy to the Pacific, Ewen McDonald at the Australia High Commission head office in Port Moresby.[12] On 21 June, the final day of the tournament, a closing ceremony was held along with the trophy presentation, which was attended by guests that included the Australian Acting High Commissioner to PNG, Adrian Lochrin, Chairman of the Motu Koita Assembly, Dadi Toka Jr, PNG Olympic Committee President, Emma Waiwai and Brett Wood of Cricket Australia.[13]
Squads
| Australian Indigenous [14] | Papua New Guinea[15] | Samoa[16] | Vanuatu[17] |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Round-robin
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | NR | Pts | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Papua New Guinea | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 1.646 |
| 2 | Australian Indigenous | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 1.422 |
| 3 | Vanuatu | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | −1.140 |
| 4 | Samoa | 6 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | −2.502 |
v
|
||
- Papua New Guinea won the toss and elected to bat.
v
|
||
Valenta Langiatu 34 (40)
Taalili Iosefo 3/19 (4 overs) |
Carol Agafili 10 (7)
Vanessa Vira 1/5 (1 over) |
- Samoa Women won the toss and elected to field first.
- Faatamalii Tiuga (Sam) and Anna Griffin (Van) both made their T20I debuts.
- This was the first women's T20I to be played at this venue.
v
|
||
Clodagh Ryall 44 (57)
Tuaoloa Helen Semau 2/21 (3 overs) |
Faatuaga Poutu 13 (15)
Christina Coulson 3/7 (2 overs) |
- Australia Indigenous won the toss and elected to bat.
v
|
||
Henao Thomas 46 (47)
Rachel Andrew 3/19 (4 overs) |
- Papua New Guinea Women won the toss and elected to bat.
- Lakshmi Rajadurai (PNG) made her T20I debut.
v
|
||
Taalili Iosefo 22 (25)
Pauke Siaka 4/3 (3 overs) |
Naoani Vare 24* (35)
Dika Lohia 2/7 (3 overs) |
- Samoa Women won the toss and elected to bat.
- Miria Raio (PNG) made her T20I debut.
v
|
||
Callee Black 49 (40)
Holland Doriga 3/8 (4 overs) |
Pauke Siaka 33* (35)
Grace Abdy 3/17 (4 overs) |
- Australia Indigenous won the toss and elected to bat.
v
|
||
Rachel Andrew 56 (62)
Olive Lefaga 2/14 (4 overs) |
Taalili Iosefo 35 (25)
Rayline Ova 5/14 (3.3 overs) |
- Vanuatu Women won the toss and elected to bat.
v
|
||
Henao Jean Thomas 27 (46)
Vicky Mansale 3/31 (4 overs) |
Rachel Andrew 16 (16)
Isabel Toua 3/8 (4 overs) |
- Papua New Guinea Women won the toss and elected to bat.
- Melanie Ani (PNG) made her T20I debut.
v
|
||
Carol Lora Agafili 16 (18)
Christina Coulson 4/3 (2 overs) |
Christina Coulson 18 (19)
Carol Lora Agafili 3/10 (3 overs) |
- Samoa Women won the toss and elected to bat.
v
|
||
Naoani Vare 30 (43)
Tuaoloa Semau 2/21 (4 overs) |
Jacinta Sanele 12 (20)
Henao Thomas 3/8 (3 overs) |
- Papua New Guinea Women won the toss and elected to bat.
References
- ^ "PacificAus Sports Cricket Invitational - PNG: Batting Records - CRICKET PNG". cricclubs.com. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
- ^ "Putting Pacific Cricket On The Path To International Success". PacificAus Sports. 24 June 2025. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
- ^ "Cricket PNG Thanks Support for a Successful PacificAus Sports Cricket Invitational 2025". Cricket PNG. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
- ^ postcourieronline (13 June 2025). "Inaugural PacificAus Sports Cricket Invitational to ignite Amini Park". Post Courier. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
- ^ "PacificAus Sports Announces New Cricket Partnership". PacificAus Sports. 24 June 2025. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
- ^ Kei, Jonah (19 June 2025). "Australian High Commission Hosts PacificAus Sports Tea Reception for Women's Cricket Invitational". SPORTS TOK MAGAZINE. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
- ^ "PNG Lewas crowned champions of inaugural PacificAus Sports Cricket Invitational". NBC PNG. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
- ^ "Women cricketers to make mark in PNG". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
- ^ "A Cricket Legend's Impact on Samoa's ICC T20 World Cup Dreams". PacificAus Sports. 24 June 2025. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
- ^ icc (23 May 2024). "Samoa make history by booking their spot at the ICC U19 Women's T20 World Cup 2025". www.icc-cricket.com. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
- ^ postcourieronline (23 June 2025). "Cricket PNG celebrates success of inaugural PacificAus Sports Cricket Invitational 2025". Post Courier. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
- ^ Post-Courier (24 June 2025). "Tea, cricket and a very good wicket". Post Courier. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
- ^ postcourieronline (23 June 2025). "Cricket PNG celebrates success of inaugural PacificAus Sports Cricket Invitational 2025". Post Courier. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
- ^ "NSW Trio Named for Indigenous Squad | Cricket NSW". www.cricketnsw.com.au. 10 June 2025. Retrieved 22 June 2025.
- ^ "PNG Lewas Squad Announced for the Inaugural PacificAus Sports Cricket Invitational…". Cricket PNG. Retrieved 22 June 2025.
- ^ Release, Press (16 June 2025). "Samoa to participate in Inaugural PacificAus Sports Cricket Invitational - Samoa Global News". Retrieved 22 June 2025.
- ^ Cricket, Vanuatu (9 June 2025). "Squad Named for PacificAus Sports Women's Invitational T20 in PNG". Vanuatu Cricket. Retrieved 22 June 2025.
- ^ "PacificAus Sports Invitational - PNG". Cricclubs. Retrieved 21 June 2025.