PNG ON TRACK WHILE FIJI FOLLOWS CLOSELY

The Fijian cricket team are in second place of the 2018 ICC World Twenty20 East Asia Pacific Sub Regional Qualifier at Albert Park, Suva, yesterday.

The Sekove Ravoka- captained side had a narrow 3-run win over Vanuatu in their first match.

The Fijians scored 145 runs from 7 wickets while Vanuatu managed 143 with the fall of 9 wickets.

They later went down to tournament favourites Papua New Guinea by 75 runs. Fijian cricket team manager Sevu Baba told

SUNsports that they are going to come out strongly against Samoa today.

“We’re going to give our all and win the competition,” he said.

“Today the players played well especially with the game against Vanuatu.

“We batted well during our second match against Papua New Guinea.

“In the second round robin we will try to come hard on them. After our loss to Papua New Guinea, our players know what needs to be done when we meet up with them again. “We are trying to be one of the two teams that will be qualifying to the next stage.”

In the Vanuatu game, Metuisela Beitaki got the Man of the Match award.

“The morale is really high and expectation is also high that the team will be one of two that will qualify,” Baba added.

WHAT’S ON TODAY

1.30pm: Fiji v Samoa (g1); Vanuatu- PNG (g2) .

Photo: Ronald Kumar Fiji Cricket Kitione Tavo (3) in action as Vanuatu batsman Jamal Vira makes his run during the 2018 ICC World Twenty20 East Asia Pacific Sub Regional Qualifier at Albert Park in Suva on August 25, 2018.

Photo: Ronald Kumar National cricket rep Jikoibure Vaikauyaki (6) joins his team-mates to celebrate the win over Vanuatu at Albert Park in Suva on August 25, 2018.