Siales skipper draws confidence from local T20 competition

PAPUA New Guinea Lewas all-rounder Dika Lohia is confident to lead the U19 Siales side to the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup East Asia Pacific qualifier when the tour bats off in Bali, Indonesia next week.
Prior to the team’s departure yesterday, the 17-year-old told The National this would be her first time leading a team without the support from her senior Lewas teammates.
“I am really fortunate to be given this captaincy role and confident that I can lead my team well to compete in this EAP qualifiers,” she said.
Lohia, who recently signed a contract as a new addition to the Lewas camp, will use her recent experience in the 2024 Pacific Cup in New Zealand and the One-Day International Tours in Zimbabwe and United Arab Emirates to lead the Siales.
“It has been a great experience so far touring in cricket and learning a lot of things from the senior players but this time the feeling will be different leading a team,” Lohia said.
She said the Isuzu Women’s T20 Smash competition which concluded in Port Moresby over the weekend helped her Siales teammates improve a lot on their bowling and batting skills, apart from the normal training as they look forward to their tour.
“My recent encounter with the elite women’s team (Lewas) has thought me a lot of values and I guess, prepared me for this moment. But it is a team effort so we will all work together during this qualifiers,” Lohia said ahead of the squad’s departure.
“We were all privileged to spend the last three weekends playing in the T20 smash among the senior players and the three marquee players from Australia. That has helped us a lot and now we are looking forward to place that experience in each match in Indonesia.”