History in the making at the PacificAus Sports Cricket Invitational

A sense of excitement is building across Papua New Guinea as the country marks 50 years of independence—but for the PNG's national team the Lewas, there’s an additional reason to celebrate.

From Sunday, 15 June, the national women’s team will be hosting the first ever PacificAus Sports Cricket Invitational in Port Moresby, bringing together top women’s teams from Vanuatu, Samoa, and Australia’s Indigenous cricketing community.

“The Invitational is at our homeground, Armani Park, and it’s going to be a special moment for the girls,” Lewas Captain, Brenda Lau, told the ABC. “We’re looking forward to it!”

An initiative of the Australian Government, delivered through PacificAus Sports, the T20 tournament promises a week of fast-paced, high-performance cricket—showcasing the skill, drive and leadership of Pacific athletes on home soil.

“The tournament will provide an exciting platform for competition, showcasing high-performance cricket while strengthening the sporting ties between Australia and the Pacific region,” says Cricket Australia CEO, Todd Greenberg.

PNG Lewas push for global success

Establishing the national women's team on the global stage has been a priority for Cricket PNG in recent years – and the hard work is beginning to pay off with the Lewas emerging as one of the most exciting stories in international cricket.

The team has notched back-to-back wins in the 2022 and 2024 Women’s T20I Pacific Cups and claimed a famous victory over Zimbabwe on the African women’s home turf. Now, with official One Day International (ODI) status secured through to 2029, they’re gearing up for even greater challenges.

"Graduating to One Day International cricket is a huge achievement and we are excited about the challenges that lie ahead,” said coach, Tim Nielsen.

Appointed in April as Cricket PNG’s new high performance manager and national coach, Nielsen has brought renewed focus to the squad.

“It’s a real privilege to have someone of his background working at Cricket PNG,” Brenda told the ABC. “He brings a fresh perspective and raises the bar in terms of professionalism – and that will definitely benefit the Lewas.”

Pride on the pitch

While the Lewas are in strong form, they will be facing determined opposition from the competition over the next week.

The Australian Women’s Indigenous team brings a wealth of talent, fresh from the 2025 National Indigenous Cricket Championships. Player of the Series Christina Coulson will captain a team that embodies the depth and pride of Indigenous cricket.

“The Australian Women’s Indigenous squad brings together skill, determination, and a proud legacy of Indigenous cricket, and we look forward to seeing them perform at their best in PNG,” says Todd.

Vanuatu, too, arrives with high expectations. The Vanuatu women’s team is the nation’s highest-ranked sporting side—something CEO Tim Cutler hopes to build on.

"This tournament is another important step in our mission to create meaningful, high-level opportunities for Vanuatu’s women cricketers,” he says.

Samoa, meanwhile, is looking to return to the top tier of women’s cricket, with a squad that blends experience and exciting new talent from its U19 development pathways.

"These girls have shown great potential, composure, and hunger to compete at the senior level,” says coach Perelini Mulitalo. “It is going to be a tough competition, but they bring new strengths and a fearless intent that will boost our team. We are not only building for now—we are building for sustained success in the years to come.”

Team captain Tuaoloa Helen Semau said the players are ready for the challenge.

“Competing against strong teams like the Australian Indigenous Women’s team, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu is a challenge and a privilege we embrace wholeheartedly,” she says. “We’ve been training hard, and the spirit within the squad is strong. We’re not just here to participate - we’re here to compete, represent Samoa with pride, and show the progress we’ve made in our cricket journey.”
 

A launchpad for the future

As cricket grows across the Pacific, so too do the opportunities. Domestic competitions are thriving. International matches are becoming more frequent. And for standout players, the path to global leagues like the Women’s Big Bash is increasingly within reach.

Still, the heart of the game lies in representing country and community.

With women’s cricket set to feature at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles and again at the 2032 Games in Queensland, the players taking the field this week are not only building national teams—they’re building Olympic dreams.

PacificAus Sports Cricket Invitational
15-21 June 2025
Armani Park, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea