At Amini Park, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea Women delivered a composed and tactically sound performance to chase down 144, defeating the United Arab Emirates Women by 3 wickets with 43 balls to spare in the second WODI of their 2025–26 series. The win brought the four-match series level at 1–1, and the match was shaped by key spells and calmness under pressure.
Earlier in the day, after winning the toss, the UAE Women opted to bat first. Their innings never really settled into full momentum; they were restricted to 143 all out in 45.4 overs. The backbone of their innings came from Rinitha Rajith, who made 32 off 56 balls and provided a flicker of resistance when others fell around her. Michelle Botha also chipped in with 23 off 35, playing useful bits of aggression, but the top and middle order losses put pressure on the chasers.
At various stages, the UAE lost early wickets: Theertha Satish (6) and Lavanya Keny (0) fell within the first six overs, exposing the middle order prematurely. Add to that, Vaishnave Mahesh (15) and Esha Oza (10) were dismissed in crucial moments, denying the UAE the chance to build a stronger total.
From PNG’s perspective, their bowlers executed their plans admirably throughout the innings. Henao Thomas stood out with a brilliant spell of 4 for 28, finding the right lengths and keeping pressure through the middle overs. Pauke Siaka was equally effective, claiming 4 for 25, and playing a crucial role in breaking partnerships. Isabel Toua and Geua Tom also contributed with wickets at useful junctures, tightening the screws when UAE looked for stability.
Chasing 144, PNG Women began with intent but were cognizant of the need to balance aggression and caution. Lakshmi Rajadurai held one end well, scoring 45 off 97 balls, shading pressure when wickets fell. Brenda Tau added a supporting 22 off 61, which helped steady the ship in the middle overs.
A turning moment came when PNG lost a couple of middle-order wickets in quick succession. But they never panicked. Henao Thomas, besides her bowling heroics, played a calm 23 off 39, taking responsibility to keep the chase alive.
Meanwhile, Miria Raio, Isabel Toua, and Geua Tom remained composed in the lower order, pushing PNG closer to daylight. They got home at 146/7 in 42.5 overs, sealing the match with plenty of time to spare. Henao Thomas was rightly adjudged Player of the Match for her all-round impact, biting breakthroughs with the ball and calm presence with the bat.
This result reaffirmed PNG’s ability to defend modest totals and chase sensibly, especially on home turf. For the UAE, the match exposed gaps in their top order and highlighted the need for more depth both in batting and in holding pressure in critical moments. As the series progresses, both sides will look to refine their strategies, PNG to build consistency, and UAE to find that extra spark to match pressure moments.
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