CRICKET PNG has announced that PNG Garamuts team will depart Port Moresby for Brisbane on Friday, 21 March, to participate in high-level matches as part of their lead-up to the ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup East Asia-Pacific (EAP) Division 1 Qualifier in Japan.
“We are finally reaching the final stage of our preparations as the PNG U19 Garamuts gear up for their long-awaited tour to Brisbane this Friday, 21 March,” Cricket PNG said in a statement.
To mark the team’s departure, Cricket PNG will host a farewell event at Jacksons International Airport, with media invited to provide coverage of this milestone for the national squad.
The Brisbane tour, made possible through the Australian Government’s PacificAus Sports partnership, will give the Garamuts the opportunity to compete against strong opposition, fine tune their skills, and gain valuable match experience ahead of the World Cup qualifiers.
PacificAus Sports has been instrumental in supporting high-performance cricket in the Pacific, and especially Cricket PNG, strengthening regional ties, and helping emerging talent like the Garamuts.
Cricket PNG CEO Richard Done expressed his confidence in the team’s readiness towards trip and games. “The Garamuts have put a lot of effort into their preparation, and we are confident that this tour will provide them with crucial match experience as they get ready for Japan,” Mr Done said.
“We are grateful for the continued support from PacificAus Sports, Cricket Australia and Queensland Cricket in ensuring our players get the exposure they need at the international level,” he added.
Head Coach Kila Pala highlighted the importance of the upcoming matches.
“This tour is crucial for our final preparations. The players have worked hard in training, and now they have the chance to put that into practice against quality opposition. It’s a fantastic opportunity to test our skills and continue our progress as a team,” Coach Pala said.
The Garamuts’ full schedule for Brisbane includes four 50-over matches, including two midweek back-to-back matches as will be the case in the Division 1 Qualifier.
Cricket PNG wishes the team all the best and looks forward to their performances in Australia.