Rachel Andrew etched her name in the annals of Vanuatu cricket with a record-breaking all-round performance, creating history in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup East-Asia Pacific Qualifier. The 27-year-old skipper struck a dazzling unbeaten 85 before engineering a match-turning hat-trick that sealed her side’s thrilling 10-run win over Indonesia in Fiji.
In doing so, Andrew became only the second Vanuatu player to record a T20I hat-trick, the first from the country to cross 1,000 career T20I runs, and only the second player in women’s T20I history to combine a half-century and a hat-trick in the same match.
After Vanuatu were asked to bat first, Andrew anchored the innings with her fluent 85 not out, guiding her team to 131 in the allotted 20 overs. Indonesia’s openers, Maria Corazon and Desi Wulandari, threatened to take the game away with a solid 55-run opening partnership.
However, Andrew turned the tide with the ball, her probing spell producing a stunning hat-trick that dented Indonesia’s chase. She finished with figures of 3/10, becoming the decisive factor in her team’s defense. At 27, Andrew now holds the distinction of being the first Vanuatu cricketer to breach the 1,000-run milestone in T20I cricket while also cementing her status as one of the game’s emerging match-winners on the global stage.
Andrew’s achievement comes just months after a similar all-round landmark from her teammate and former skipper Selina Solman. In March 2025, Solman carved out a unique piece of history during the Pacific-France Women’s Championship in Port Vila. She scored an unbeaten 56 and complemented it with figures of 4/0, including a spectacular hat-trick, in Vanuatu’s massive 87-run victory over France.
That double act made Solman the first cricketer from Vanuatu, and among the rare few worldwide, to notch a half-century and hat-trick in the same T20I. Her performance showcased the depth of resilience and talent in the Vanuatu women’s side, setting a benchmark that Andrew has now equaled on an even grander stage.
While Andrew stole headlines with her majestic all-round display, Nasimana Navaika also played a pivotal role in the victory, scalping three crucial wickets for 27 runs. Their combined efforts ensured Vanuatu pulled off a narrow but vital win to stay alive in Group B.
The eight-team competition in Fiji carries immense stakes, with only one ticket available for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Global Qualifier. After their opening triumph, Vanuatu sits second in the group behind hosts Fiji, well poised but aware of sterner challenges ahead.
Rachel Andrew’s performance, set against the backdrop of Vanuatu’s growing presence in world cricket, marks a defining step forward for the Pacific nation. By combining leadership, batting resilience, and bowling excellence, she has joined Solman as a standard-bearer for Vanuatu on the international stage.
Their feats underline the potential of Associate women’s cricket, where individuals continue to carve milestones that inspire not just victories but narratives of belief and progress.
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