Samoa’s national women’s cricket team are in Port Moresby to compete in the Inaugural PacificAus Sports Cricket Invitational to compete against an Australian Indigenous team and teams from Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu.

The competition starts from Saturday, 15 June, to Saturday, 21 June, in an action-packed draw.

Captain Tuaoloa Helen Semau of Vailuutai, Falelatai and Iva Savaii said the team is “incredibly excited and honoured to be part of the Pacific Invitational Tournament. Competing against strong teams like the Australian Indigenous Women’s Team, Papua New Guinea, and Vanuatu is both a challenge and a privilege we embrace wholeheartedly.

This is an amazing opportunity for us to test ourselves and grow as a team. 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.”

The Samoa national women’s team is currently ranked 45th, and before COVID-19, it had been ranked 16th in the world. The Invitational presents an opportunity for the team to face up against old rivals PNG and Vanuatu. Coach Perelini Mulitalo said, "I'm pleased about the squad we’ve assembled for this Pacific Invitational, especially with the inclusion of our young talents from the U19 Women’s Team – Avetia Mapu, Olive Lefaga Lemoe, Angel Sootaga So, Masina Faimafili Tafea and Norah Jade Salima. These girls have shown great potential, composure, and hunger to compete at the senior level.

“This tournament will be an invaluable experience for them, and it is a big step forward in our pathway for women’s cricket in Samoa. Bringing in youth adds fresh energy, and it also signals the growth and future of our program. We are not only building for now—we are building for sustained success in the years to come.

“It is going to be a tough competition, but these young players bring new strengths and fearless intent that will boost our team. I am proud of how far they’ve come and excited to see them rise to this challenge.

“These types of tournaments are so important for women’s cricket in the Pacific. They push us to raise our standards and inspire the next generation back home. Win or lose, we’ll leave everything on the field and carry our flag with pride."

Carol Agafili, a fresh addition to the team is feeling calm and confident ahead of the matches and will be another strong addition to the team.

The T20 tournament is supported through the Australian Government’s PacificAus Sports program, which creates opportunities for Pacific athletes, coaches, officials and administrators to access high performance training and elite competition.

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. Manuia le fa’amoemoe Samoa!”

The Invitational builds on previous investment in Samoa cricket from the Australian Government, with PacificAus Sports supporting a visit to Samoa from Australian cricket legend Cathryn Fitzpatrick last year to support the U19 women’s team prepare for the T20 World Cup.

The competition is set to be fierce, with Cricket Australia’s CEO Todd Greenberg expecting “this tournament will showcase high-performance cricket while continuing to strengthen shared cultural connections”.  Mr Greenberg also added that “the Australian Women’s Indigenous squad brings together skill, determination, and a proud legacy of Indigenous cricket”. Mr Greenberg is looking forward to seeing the Australian team perform their at their best in PNG.

The tournament is being played in Papua New Guinea as part of the celebration of the nation’s 50th anniversary of independence, Cricket Papua New Guinea will be the hosts for the tournament, with support from Cricket Australia.

PacificAus Sports is an Australian Government sports diplomacy initiative creating opportunities for Pacific athletes, coaches, officials and administrators to access high performance training and elite competition. The program partners with Australian national sports organisations to support a range of sports, including rugby league, rugby union, netball, football, AFL, cricket, tennis, basketball, and Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth sports.

PacificAus Sports also partners with the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) to promote Pacific sport through ABC Television’s ‘That Pacific Sports Show’ and ABC Radio’s ‘Fresh Off the Field’. The high performance outcomes of PacificAus Sports are complemented by the Australian Government’s Team Up program, which focuses on sport for development in the Pacific. For more information about PacificAus Sports and its activities, visit www.pacificaussports.gov.au and follow PacificAus Sports on Facebook.