PREPARATION FOR T20 QUALIFIER ABOUT TO START

Cricket Fiji will begin their preparations for the 2020 Women’s World T20 qualifiers by conducting the first of two scheduled tournaments for this year at Lautoka Central College grounds.

The Women’s Elite Player League will see the country’s top female cricketers compete in a three-day tournament in Lautoka and Suva before shifting their focus to the Women’s National League in December.

Following the two tournaments, Cricket Fiji is expected to select an 18-member squad to prepare for the event with the inclusions of overseas based-players expected to further strengthen the squad’s goal of qualifying.

Cricket Fiji chairman, Mosese Yavalanavanua was adamant the tournaments would revive the organisations push for success in next year’s T20 qualifiers. “Our national women’s side did exceptionally well in their last international event where they won bronze at the 2015 Pacific Games after initially being ranked fourth and we’re looking forward to seeing

the girls back in action.”

Cricket Fiji will also be participating in next year’s Pacific Games in Samoa in both the women and men’s divisions allowing the Women the ideal opportunity to prepare for the T20 qualifiers.

“Next year will be a busy year for Cricket Fiji with all our national teams from the men, women and under-19’s involved in their various international commitments. “With the busy schedules for 2019 Cricket Fiji we will be working closely with various stakeholders to assist in preparations for our teams and in return look forward to positive results”, Yavalanavanua said. The qualifiers will be Fiji’s first ever involvement in a women’s World Cup qualifying event with Pacific powerhouses Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Samoa are also expected to be involved along with former region champions Japan.