3 Mar 2018

Sport: PNG cricketers begin campaign for 2019 World Cup

1:05 pm on 3 March 2018

Papua New Guinea's cricketers begin their campaign to make the 2019 World Cup on Sunday with their first Group A match in the ICC qualifers against the United Arab Emirates.

Both teams have had a poor build-up to the tournament, losing their two warm-up matches in Bulawayo.

The PNG Barramundis enter the tournament, having been beaten convincingly by both Scotland and hosts Zimbabwe.

The UAE has had similar results, losing to Nepal by five wickets and two-time world champions, the West Indies.

The two sides have met in full one day international's three times with the UAE winning twice and PNG once.

Teams are split into two groups of five who play each other on a round-robin basis with the top three going forward to a Super Six round.

The West Indies, Netherlands and Ireland complete PNG's group.