In the fourth game of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup East Asia-Pacific (EAP) Qualifier 2023, Papua New Guinea (PNG) left-arm pacer Kabua Morea claimed a T20I hat-trick against the Philippines and broke the best T20I bowling figures record for his nation to secure a giant win.
It is the tournament where all four participating teams are eyeing to grab the only spot from the region to qualify for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
After PNG chose to bat first, they scored 162/7 in 20 overs. While the opener Tony Ura scored 36 runs, Lega Siaka (43) and Hiri Hiri (46) scored crucial 40s in the middle order.
In the next innings, the 29-year-old Kabua Morea just destroyed the Philippines batting line-up. In the third over of that innings, Morea dismissed Jordan Alegre (1), Joseph Doctora (0), and Amanpreet Sirah (0) in three successive deliveries to become the second PNG bowler to record a T20I hat-trick.
Papua New Guinea (PNG) bowlers with T20I hat-tricks
Player | Opposition | Venue | Date |
Norman Vanua | Bermuda | ICCA Dubai | 19 October 2019 |
Kabua Morea | Philippines | Port Moresby | 23 July 2023 |
(Updated till 23 July 2023)
While Morea finished with the bowling figures 4-0-9-5, the Philippines were bundled out for only 45 runs. The left-arm pacer ended the game with the record-breaking bowling figures in PNG T20I history.
Best bowling figures by a Papua New Guinea (PNG) bowler (Top 5)
Player | Bowling figures | Opposition | Venue | Date |
Kabua Morea | 4-0-9-5 | Philippines | Port Moresby | 23 July 2023 |
Damien Ravu | 4-0-15-5 | Vanuatu | Apia (No 3) | 9 July 2019 |
Norman Vanua | 4-2-17-5 | Vanuatu | Apia (No 2) | 13 July 2019 |
Damien Ravu | 4-0-18-4 | Singapore | Dubai (DSC) | 25 October 2019 |
Norman Vanua | 4-0-21-4 | Samoa | Apia (No 2) | 10 July 2019 |
(Updated till 23 July 2023)
PNG won the game by 117 runs, which was their second-largest T20I winning margin (by runs).
Largest T20I victory margins for PNG (by runs)
Winning margin | Opposition | Venue | Date |
133 runs | Philippines | Port Moresby | 22 March 2019 |
117 runs | Philippines | Port Moresby | 23 July 2023 |
81 runs | Namibia | ICCA 2 Dubai | 20 October 2019 |
59 runs | Vanuatu | Apia (No 2) | 12 July 2019 |
45 runs | Kenya | Dubai (DSC) | 27 October 2019 |
(Updated till 23 July 2023)
