Samoan cricket player Regina Sela Monika Lili’i was named Bowler of the Tournament and encouraged young Pacific girls to take up cricket, despite Samoa’s challenges and their 6th-place finish.
Lili’i says this was her first time in Fiji and she acknowledges the tournament’s organization.
She was disappointed that Samoa finished 6th out of 8 teams, as she had hoped they would make the top 4.
Lili’i says that some of the challenges her team faced, such as having limited resources and players living in different countries like England, Australia, and New Zealand.
The team only had one week of training together before the tournament.
She says despite the challenges, she enjoyed the friendly atmosphere and meeting players from different cultures.
Lili’i says she started playing cricket with her brother when she was 10 years old and later played for the Auckland Hearts in New Zealand. She has represented Samoa since 2010.
She is now playing club cricket in England.
Lili’i encourages young Fijians, especially girls, to take up cricket.
Some of her teammates also visited local schools to promote the game.
She believes cricket in the Pacific is growing and hopes to see young players from the islands play at the World Cup one day.
