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NZC announced that their first Aotearoa Māori Wāhine team will participate in the 2024 Pacific Cup in January, held in Tāmaki Makaurau.
Teams present will be Cook Islands, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Vanuatu, as well as Aotearoa Māori.
Held at Lloyd Elsmore Park, teams will play each other once before the top 2 face off in the Grand Final at Eden Park Outer Oval.
The squad will be the first senior New Zealand Māori cricket team to compete since Aotearoa Māori men were selected to participate in the 2001 Pacifica Cup.
Former White Ferns captain Maia Lewis (Ngāti Whātua, Ngāti Māniapoto) will lead the Aotearoa Māori Wāhine as head coach.
Lewis spoke to NZC about the rise in Māori cricketers and the recent NZC initiatives.
“This opportunity is a welcome extension to the pathway for Māori cricketers
“We have seen great success in NZC’s Aotearoa Māori Secondary Schools programme, and the recent Wāhine Māori National Tournament held in Hastings - and the Pacific Cup is another opportunity to showcase some of our best Māori wāhine players.
“We saw plenty of talent on display at the Wāhine Māori Nationals and I’m excited to get the squad together in January and connect not only through cricket but through culture and hauora.
“We are creating a legacy and a pathway for Māori wāhine cricketers for the future.“
NZC Diversity and Inclusion lead, Andrew Tara, spoke to NZC on efforts made in the Māori and Pasifika communities:
“Off the back of the inaugural wāhine nationals in Hastings last month, we’re delighted to be able to continue offering opportunities for Māori cricketers,
“Building capability on and off the field and supporting the development of cricket in the Pacific has been a key driver in our commitment to hosting this tournament.”
The tournament will be officially opened with a pōwhiri on 16th January, with play commencing on the 21st.
Māori and Pacific cultures will be on show at the cultural evening on 20th January at the University of Auckland - Fale Pasifika.
The full schedule of the Pacific Cup is below with timings in NZT.
Wednesday 17 January
Aotearoa Māori v Papua New Guinea, Lloyd Elsmore Park 1, 10:30am
Cook Islands v Samoa, Lloyd Elsmore Park 2, 10:30am
Fiji v Vanuatu, Lloyd Elsmore Park 3, 10:30am
Cook Islands v Fiji, Lloyd Elsmore Park 1, 3pm
Aotearoa Māori v Vanuatu, Lloyd Elsmore Park 2, 3pm
Samoa v Papua New Guinea, Lloyd Elsmore Park 3, 3pm
Thursday 18 January
Vanuatu v Samoa, Lloyd Elsmore Park 1, 3pm
Papua New Guinea v Cook Islands, Lloyd Elsmore Park 2, 3pm
Aotearoa Māori v Fiji, Lloyd Elsmore Park 3, 3pm
Friday 19 January
Papua New Guinea v Vanuatu, Lloyd Elsmore Park 1, 10:30am
Fiji v Samoa, Lloyd Elsmore Park 2, 10:30am
Aotearoa Māori v Cook Islands, Lloyd Elsmore Park 3, 10:30am
Cook Islands v Vanuatu, Lloyd Elsmore Park 1, 3pm
Samoa v Aotearoa Māori, Lloyd Elsmore Park 2, 3pm
Papua New Guinea v Fiji, Lloyd Elsmore Park 3, 3pm
Sunday 21 January
3rd v 4th playoff, Lloyd Elsmore Park 1, 10:30am
5th v 6th playoff, Lloyd Elsmore Park 2, 10:30am
Grand final (1st v 2nd), Eden Park Outer Oval, 3pm
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