The East Asia-Pacific cricket community is devastated by the untimely death of Kaia Arua, a prominent figure in Papua New Guinea’s cricket scene who passed away at the age of 33. Arua’s legacy as an exceptional all-rounder for the Lewas began in 2010 when she made her debut in national team colours at the East Asia-Pacific Trophy against Japan in Sano.
Over the years, she solidified her position in the PNG team, participating in various East-Asia Pacific pathway events and Pacific Games cricket. Her crowning achievement came when she was selected for the 2017 Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier.
Arua’s leadership qualities were evident when she took on the role of captaincy against Ireland at the 2018 T20 World Cup Qualifier. Her leadership skills were further recognized when she was named to the ICC Women’s Global Development squad later that year.
Terribly sad news coming from @cricket_png today that former captain Kaia Arua has passed away.
— Georgie Heath🎙️ (@GeorgieHeath27) April 4, 2024
A wonderful lady with a beautiful soul who I was lucky enough to get to know across two FairBreak tournaments.
Thoughts are with her family and the wider Cricket PNG family 🤍 pic.twitter.com/U4oCPnN3qP
Under her captaincy, Papua New Guinea clinched victory at the 2019 East Asia-Pacific T20 World Cup Qualifier, securing their spot in prestigious tournaments like the 2019 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier and the 2021 Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier.
Known for her prowess as a left-arm wrist spinner and a strategic batswoman, Arua led Papua New Guinea in 29 T20Is, winning all 29 matches. Her remarkable record of 59 T20I wickets at an astonishing average of 10.2 stands as a testament to her skill and dedication to the sport. Notably, her incredible bowling performance of 5/7 against Japan remains one of the best in her team’s T20I history.
Amidst the burgeoning landscape of women’s franchise T20 cricket, Arua also made significant contributions by participating in Fairbreak tournaments with the Falcons in 2022 and 2023. Her impact both on and off the field will be deeply cherished and remembered by the cricketing community, not just in Papua New Guinea but across the East Asia-Pacific region.
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