Samoa U-19 women's cricket team was awarded their first point after their opening match was abandoned due to rain as reported by BSNSports.com.ng. 

Their first opponent was Nigeria at the ICC U-19 Women's T20 World Cup.

The game, scheduled for Borneo Cricket Ground in Sarawak, Malaysia, was called off without a toss taking place. Their next match is against South Africa on Monday at Kuching. 

Samoa's batting group is headlined by Verra Ferane, who should also be deployed in the middle overs with her right-arm seam.

Avetia Mapu's path to U19 national team captaincy is a curious one, having first excelled in Kilikiti, a Polynesia form of the game, and only playing standard cricket for just over a year. Mapu was raced into senior international cricket in January 2024 at the Women's T20 Pacific Cup in Auckland.

Angel Sootaga So is already a senior international and took part in Samoa's qualification campaign for the last senior T20 World Cup. Samoa is in Group C with Nigeria, New Zealand, and South Africa. 

Meanwhile the team has been getting attention off the pitch as well.

“What stands out for me is their energy. They implement our culture and everything,” head coach and Samoa women’s senior international Tuaoloa Helen Semau explains while looking at the squad, still riding the emotions of the team punching their ticket to the tournament.

“And that's why they're so loud. Sometimes you can hear us say ‘Be quiet!’ But no one has an inside voice. No Samoan has an inside voice. They don’t know what that means.

“They're loud, but they are humble, but other people here (in Malaysia) don't know that. Some of our girls are quite young and (experiencing their) first time out of the country.

“(For) some of the other countries, it's a cultural shock.”

The Samoan team are Avetia Mapu (C), Olive Lefaga (VC), Verra Farane, Barbara Keresoma, Selina Lilo, Jane Manase, Stefania Pauga, Apolonia Polataivao, Silepea Polataivao, Stella Sagalala, Norah Salima, Katrina Samu, Angel Sootaga, Masina Tafea, and Sala Viliamu.

Samoa on the cricket field over the last 12 months has sent shockwaves on both men’s and women’s fronts.

Their men’s senior team upset the likes of Vanuatu and the Cook Islands to progress to the Asia/East Asia-Pacific Qualifier for the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup later in 2025, though the work of Caleb Jasmat’s men was bettered by their U19’s Women’s compatriots, stunning regional giants Papua New Guinea, emerging force Indonesia, and Fiji to claim a shock World Cup qualification in Bali.