Papua New Guinea players, support staff get emotional during national anthem ahead of WC opener vs Oman

Papua New Guinea's journey hasn't been an easy one  |  Photo Credit: AP

Cricket is not just a game between bat and ball, between two nations or their players, but also a game of vivid emotions, that anyone associated with the game goes through. Any player playing the game, would have the ultimate goal to represent their country at the highest level. When the team makes its appearance at the big stage, it is a dream come true, a moment to cherish, not just for the individual, but for the entire side.

On these lines, is the story of Papua New Guinea, a team that has qualified for the very first time, plying their trade at their first-ever senior cricket World Cup tournament, the ICC T20 World Cup 2021. Papua New Guinea is one of those sides that is coming through the ranks and young as compared to a lot of other teams at the showpiece event.

They are placed in Group B and have to play the qualifying round in order to make it to the main tournament later on. In their first game of the qualifying round, they were up against Oman, who are co-hosts as well. The PNG players were seen getting all emotional ahead of the start of play, during the time when their national anthem was played. Papua New Guniea made a return to international cricket after a span of almost two years with this. 

Over the years, the associate nations have worked hard and their contribution to globalise cricket has been immense. To be able to represent their country at the T20 World Cup, a mega event, is certainly a huge deal. It was clearly evident through the emotions let out by the players before the game began. When a team progresses in such a manner, it would be unfair to not highlight the importance of the support staff as well, who are constantly involved in everything behind the scenes. They play a crucial role in bringing the team together and keeping them in a good space. PNG's support staff also got emotional along with the players at the time of the national anthem. 

Papua New Guinea's journey hasn't been an easy one. To have made it to the big stage, for the very first time, is always special and they put everyone to a momentary halt, to take notice of them, playing in their first-ever World Cup. The road to the T20 World Cup was a thrilling one for PNG. They were in a dire situation at 19/6 in the game against Kenya. However, they displayed their fighting spirit, scripting an incredible comeback, which eventually sealed their spot at the T20 World Cup. 

That win was the beginning of a special journey for PNG, making their presence felt by qualifying for the bigger extravaganza. “Having the honor of leading this group in the World Cup is a great achievement. We’ve been so close on so many occasions, but now the excitement is filling up. We can’t wait to get out there, sing the national anthem, and play,” skipper Assad Vala had earlier stated as reported by NYT. 

Although Papua New Guinea did not have the best of starts, losing to Oman, one can expect this team, full of spirit and dedication, to make a comeback in the games to come.