Lewas register 1st win

AFTER a disappointing start to their campaign, Papua New Guinea won their first match of the ICC Women’s World T20 Qualifiers beating UAE by two wickets.
UAE batted first with openers ER Oza and Chaya Mughal saw out the powerplay without losing their wickets and reached 21/0 after six overs. PNG Lewas bowlers tore that platform to bits in a sensational session of bowling and fielding.
Mughal (18) was the first to go, run out thanks to some nifty work in the field by Brenda Tau as Oza (10) was caught and bowled by Sibona Jimmy. Nisha Ali was dismissed on the very next ball to Oza, thanks to another run out. This time, Tanya Ruma and Jimmy combining. Kaia Arua caught CR Seneviratna off her own bowling and yet another run out, this time of UCKA Dona had UAE in trouble at 37-5 after 11 overs. UAE’s last five wickets fell for only nine runs.
PNG started their chase with a bit of a hiccup as Jimmy (7) departed early. Kopi John and Brenda Tau tried to put together a partnership, but it was short-lived as John (12) fell in the 8th over to CR Seneviratna. Tau was stroking the ball well and brought the total to 50 in the 12th over before she was dismissed by Srinivasan. Tau’s wicket was followed by the wicket of captain Pauke Siaka (11), who became Egodage’s only victim of the game.
PNG were in control of the game at this point needing 30 runs to win in 8 overs, with the score 56-4.
Arua and Ruma appeared to be steadily inching the Lewas to victory, but Srinivasan was not about to give up just yet. With 11 runs to win from 22 balls, she picked up the wicket of Arua (8) and two balls later, Ruma (12). Despite being in a position of relevant comfort, the wickets stemmed the flow of runs as a result of which there were some nervy decisions while running that led to Veru Kila Frank getting run out for just one and suddenly, the Lewas needed eighth runs from the last two overs. That became six from six as Seneviratna bowled a stellar over, giving away just two runs in the 19th over to finish with figures of 1-7. It was up to Ravini Oa and debutant Naoani Vare to get PNG over the line in the final over.
Vare picked up three from the first two balls of the final over and Oa picked up two from the third to bring the scores level, but the drama was not over there.
Oa lost her wicket, run out while attempting to steal a single and win the match and with one run to get in from two balls, it was down to Vare to bring it home. Vare struck the ball confidently to win the match by two wickets with a ball to spare. The result means PNG still have a chance to qualify for the semifinals, with a win over Netherlands today.