CRICKET PNG today officially announced the 14-man squad for the Barramundis who will travel to Jersey next Monday for their upcoming international Jersey Tour – World Cricket League (50 Overs Format) from dates, 12 August to 3 September 2025.
The announcement was made by Cricket PNG Board Chairman Michael Harrison, alongside Selection Chairman Hudson Leka, Deputy Chairman Rurua Dikana and Assistant National Coach John Ovia, at a Press briefing held at Amini Park.
The squad will be led by experienced captain Assadollah Vala, with Sese Bau named as vice-captain.
The full playing squad and team officials are as follows:
Barramundis Jersey Tour Squad
1. Assadollah Vala – Captain
2. Sese Bau – Vice Captain
3. Kipling Doriga – Player
4. Hila George Vaieke Vare – Player
5. Patrick Nou – Player
6. Kabua Vagi Morea – Player
7. Alei Nao – Player
8. John Lohia Mea Kariko – Player
9. Michael Charlie – Player
10. Damien Ravu – Player
11. Vagi Guba – Player
12. Boio Ray – Player
13. Jason Kila – Player
14. Peter Karoho – Player
Team Officials:
15. John Ovia – Coach
16. Matteo Amabile – Team Manager / Physio
17. Kila Pala – Assistant Coach
18.Alex Stewart-High Performance Coach
In congratulating the squad, Mr. Michael Harrison said, “On behalf of Cricket PNG, I want to congratulate the 14 players selected to represent Papua New Guinea on the Jersey Tour. This squad is a blend of experience and emerging talent, and we are confident they will make the nation proud. We wish them all the best as they prepare to showcase PNG’s cricketing strength on the international stage.”
Head Coach John Ovia expressed confidence in the squad and said, “We have put in a lot of hard work leading up to this tour, and I’m confident in the ability and commitment of our boy.
“This tour will be a good test of our skills, character, and team spirit. The focus now is on fine-tuning before we hit the ground in Jersey. I believe these selected players in the Barramundi’s team has what it takes to deliver strong performances.”
Selection Chairman Hudson Leka also shared his thoughts on the selection.
“The selection process was rigorous, and we looked closely at performance, fitness, and team balance. We are proud of the squad we have named, it is competitive, and it reflects the depth we have in PNG cricket. These players have earned their spots, and I’m confident they will represent the country with pride,” he said. The team is scheduled to depart for Jersey on Monday, 11 August 2025. From there, they will have a rest day after four flights and a long journey. The team will travel to Guernsey on 14 August for warm up matches: first up a T20 followed by 2 x ODI against Guernsey on the weekend of 16th and 17 August. The Barramundis will return to Jersey to start the tournament on the 20 August.