Under the sweltering sun at the Terdthai Cricket Ground in Bangkok, the ICC Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy produced a gripping contest as Papua New Guinea clashed with Thailand in a nail-biting, low-scoring thriller. Winning the toss and opting to bat first, Papua New Guinea aimed to set a challenging target against Thailand’s disciplined bowling unit.
The PNG innings began energetically, with openers Naoani Vare and Brenda Tau looking to establish a solid foundation. However, their partnership was short-lived as they managed only a 15-run stand. Tau was the more aggressive of the two, scoring 10 runs off 9 balls before being trapped in front by Thailand’s Phannita Maya. The early dismissal set the tone for a challenging innings. Following Tau’s exit, Vare and Henao Thomas could only add a solitary run before Thomas was run out for a duck, crumbling PNG’s momentum.
Suleeporn Laomi emerged as the star of the Thai bowling attack, making quick work of the PNG top order. She dismissed Miria Raio for just 1 run and significantly ended Vare’s patient innings at 9, leaving PNG reeling at 23 for 4. Hollan Doriga also went cheaply for 0. Despite the early collapse, PNG showed some resilience through their middle and lower order. Captain Pauke Siaka scored 8 runs off 15 balls and partnered with Erani Pokana to stabilise the innings. Their 17-run partnership was crucial before Siaka fell to Sunida Chaturongrattana.
Pokanan, however, found some support in Isabel Toua as they focused on rotating the strike and accumulating runs. Their partnership blossomed and yielded essential runs, with Pokana scoring 16 runs before being dismissed, leaving PNG at 78 for 8. Toua, the highest scorer for PNG with 25 runs off 25 balls, brought some late order stability, contributing significantly despite some late runouts. Despite two sharp runouts in the final overs, PNG managed to finish with a respectable total of 92 runs for 9 wickets.
On the bowling front, Thailand’s effort was commendable. Maya finished with outstanding figures of 1 for 11 from 4 overs, while Suleeporn Laomi’s devastating spell of 3 for 14 from her 4 overs was the highlight of their bowling performance. Chaturongrattana also made her mark with two crucial wickets, finishing with figures of 2 for 16.
Chasing a modest target of 93, Thailand’s innings got off to a disastrous start. Nattaya Boochatham and Chanida Sutthiruang struggled to find their footing, with Sutthiruang dismissed for just 1 run. The woes continued as Nannapat Koncharoenkai also fell cheaply for 0, leaving Thailand floundering at 4 for 2. Although the experienced Natthakan Chantham provided some stability, her dismissal followed a brief stand with Boochatham, leaving Thailand at 36 for 4.
At a crucial juncture, Naruemol Chaiwai stepped up to the plate, scoring a gritty 44 off 40 balls. She formed a vital partnership with Suleeporn Laomi for 17 runs, before Laomi fell to Hane Tau. Chaiwai then found an explosive ally in Rosenan Kanoh, adding a crucial 21 runs together. As the run rate escalated in the final overs, the pressure mounted. Chaiwai’s valiant effort came to an end on the last ball of the innings, dismissed while attempting to secure victory, leaving Thailand just 8 runs short.
PNG’s bowlers played a pivotal role in defending their modest total, led by Siaka’s standout performance of 4 wickets for 12 runs. Geua Tom also had a key impact, claiming 2 wickets. This thrilling encounter will be remembered as a classic example of T20 cricket, where competitive totals often lead to tightly contested matches.
PNG’s bowlers, particularly captain Pauke Siaka, with 4 wickets for 12 runs, showcased remarkable discipline, sealing a memorable victory. This match will be remembered as a classic example of how fiercely competitive low-scoring matches can be in T20 cricket.
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