Suva, Sep 8 (IANS) The East-Asia Pacific region is poised for a historic moment in women’s cricket as Fiji prepares to host the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 East-Asia Pacific (EAP) Qualifier, beginning on Tuesday at Albert Park.

Apart from Fiji, Cook Islands, Indonesia, Japan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, and Vanuatu will compete in the region’s largest-ever women’s cricket tournament, with one spot for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Global Qualifier in Nepal up for grabs.

The event marks a milestone for the Philippines, whose women’s team will make its debut at an ICC tournament. The competition opens with Fiji facing Cook Islands and Japan taking on Papua New Guinea, with matches staged across two grounds at Albert Park.

The final, scheduled for September 15, will determine which team advances to the global qualifying event in January 2026. Vanuatu, the last East-Asia Pacific team to reach a Global Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier, made headlines in 2024 with a historic win over Zimbabwe, thus highlighting the growing competitiveness in the region.

Vanuatu captain Rachel Andrew said her team is driven by a desire to replicate the success they achieved at the previous ICC Women’s T20 World Cup East-Asia Pacific Qualifier in 2023.

“The Vanuatu team is buzzing with excitement ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup EAP Qualifier. Our squad has a good mix of experienced players with a deep understanding of what it takes to win and some exciting young talent.

“We’re looking to leverage the momentum from our previous performances and are very motivated to reach the Global Qualifier once again,” she said in an ICC statement on Monday.

All matches will be live streamed at ICC.tv, while live scores and results can be found at the ICC website.

Group A: Japan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa

Group B: Cook Islands, Fiji, Indonesia, Vanuatu

–IANS

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