PNG coach Joe Dawes: "We are just going to enjoy the moment. For them to achieve this is a great thing for us and for the nation"
Monday 28 October 2019 09:58, UK
Papua New Guinea's qualification for their maiden T20 World Cup has been described as "amazing" and "special".
The Barramundis reached their maiden global international tournament - in Australia next year - after finishing top of their pool in the qualification competition in the United Arab Emirates.
PNG won five of their six games, losing only to Scotland, and recovered from 19-6 to beat Kenya in their last group fixture on Sunday.
The side's coach, former Queensland bowler Joe Dawes, told the ICC: "I am feeling a little emotional. It's been a pretty big two years, for them to achieve this is pretty special. We are just going to enjoy the moment.
"For them to achieve this is a great thing for us and for the nation. To come here and achieve this is a dream come true.
"The boys have bought into what we try to do. It's been a challenge with the education, language and facilities and bits and pieces. We've got some work to do in 50-over cricket but we knew Twenty20 was our format."
Papua New Guinea's qualification was confirmed when Netherlands failed to chase down 131 in 12.3 overs or less against Scotland.
The Dutch would have leapfrogged them on net run-rate had they pulled that result off but were unable to do so, sparking wild celebrations from the PNG squad, who watched on from the stands.
"The fact that Papua New Guinea have qualified for their first Men's T20 World Cup in 2020 is one of modern cricket's amazing feel good stories," tweeted former West Indies seamer Ian Bishop, who has been commentating on the T20 World Cup Qualifier.
India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin also tweeted: "So PNG qualifies for the T20 World Cup!! It's amazing to see the game expanding globally and will surely bring more young ones to play the great game."
The T20 World Cup will be held across Australia between October 18 and November 15 next year.
Hosts Australia, plus Pakistan, India, England, South Africa, New Zealand, West Indies and Afghanistan will compete in the Super 12s stage of the tournament, with the four qualifiers from the eight-team round one.
Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will compete in the opening phase, along with Papua New Guinea and Ireland, whose progress was also confirmed on Sunday as they finished top of their World Cup Qualifier group.
The remaining four teams will also come from the World Cup Qualifier - Scotland will secure a spot if they defeat Netherlands or UAE on Wednesday, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10am.
