U19 T20 World Cup: Samoa defeated Fiji by four wickets to qualify for the Women's U19 T20 World Cup 2025 after finishing atop at the U19 Women's East Asia-Pacific Qualifier.
It's the first time a Samoa have qualified for a World Cup in the sport in men's and women's cricket, and across any format or age level.
Avetia Fetu Mapu's team led the group going into the sixth and penultimate matchday as they defeated the Fijians with 34 balls remaining to guarantee their top-four spot.
The team entered the four-nation competition as the underdog, with last year's Women's U19 T20 World Cup entrants Indonesia and a Papua New Guinea side boasting multiple senior internationals seemingly posing a bigger threat.
The Samoans asserted their dominance over the competitionconfidently chasing down a target of 124 against Papua New Guinea, with Mapu's 31* (23) backing up the efforts of No.3 Verra Farane's 44 (31), reports ICC.
The Samoans went on to beat Indonesia in both fixtures against the hosts in two low-scoring thrillers, winning the first by chasing down 72 with two wickets and two overs to spare, before an eight-run win four days later. Defending just 81 in their second meeting, Samoa bowled out Indonesia for just 73, with Silepea Plataivao claiming 6/15 (4).
Samoa did fall to Papua New Guinea when the teams met for the second time in the competition, though Papua New Guinea had also crucially dropped points against Indonesia earlier in the tournament, meaning a final-day win for Samoa would guarantee top spot and qualification.
A hat-trick from Fiji's Mele Waqanisau may have sent nerves through the Samoan camp in their chase of of 89, though the work of senior Samoan international Angel Sootaga So at the top provided a strong enough platform for the lower order to complete the chase in the 15th over.