Charles Amini's two brothers, his parents and a grandfather all played cricket for Papua New Guinea, and there's even a stadium named after the family.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
But he is the only one to reach a World Cup – and happily claims bragging rights.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The leg-spinning allrounder is a crucial cog in the Pacific nation's team at their first global tournament, the T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates and Oman, a feat he calls "a very big deal".<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Cricket runs deep in his family, with brothers Chris and Colin, father Charles senior, mother Kune and grandfather Bryan all representing PNG.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
So entrenched are they in the sport that the country's main cricket stadium in the capital Port Moresby, Amini Park, is named after them.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"I don't want to brag, but I don't think any of them have gone to a World Cup," the 29-year-old jokingly said on an ICC podcast of his illustrious brethren, when asked who was the best player in his family.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"But in all honesty, I would probably say my big brother Chris (was the best), he was a very, very good player."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
PNG open their account against co-hosts Oman on 17 October in a group B that also includes Scotland and Bangladesh. They will fancy their chances of progressing to the Super 12.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Along with Amini, bowling allrounder Norman Vanua, classy opener Tony Ura and veteran captain Assad Vala will be key to their success.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"The match the boys are looking forward to is Bangladesh," said Vala, a mainstay who has been on the team since 2005.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"It will be really good for us to test ourselves against a top-quality team and see where we are at against the best teams in the world."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Making a top-level tournament has been a long time coming for the sprawling Pacific nation, whose team are known as the Barramundis, named after the fish native to Australia and the Indo-Pacific.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Cricket was introduced to PNG in the 1900s by Christian missionaries from England and it became popular among coastal villages where they, and early British explorers, first landed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
But it took until the early 1970s for PNG to play their first international, against a touring Australia XI at Amini Park, before being admitted as an associate member of the ICC in 1973.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
PNG finally made a major tournament by winning five of their six matches at the 2019 World Cup qualifying event, finishing behind the Netherlands.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"To be able to finally qualify for one and participate in one of the World Cups is a dream come true for me, and speaking on behalf of all my teammates, it will be an honour for us," said Vala.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"It's the pinnacle of cricket, being able to play against the best in the world."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
While there are "no superstars" on the team, Vala said they were well-disciplined and drilled.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Another trait they have is their sense of camaraderie, with Ura explaining: "We have a saying, 'Stay together, go together, work as a team.'<\/p>\r\n\r\n