Alpha Insurance Vanuatu National Men’s Cricket Team departs for Japan for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier
The Alpha Insurance Vanuatu National Men’s Cricket Team has departed Port Vila, travelling via Nadi and Narita en route to Nagoya, Japan, for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup East Asia Pacific Qualifier.
The tournament, held from 6–19 May 2026, brings together nine teams from across the region, with Vanuatu competing against Japan, Fiji, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Cook Islands, Indonesia, Philippines and South Korea in a key pathway event on the international calendar.
Vanuatu entered the Qualifier in Group 1 alongside Japan and Fiji, with the top two teams progressing to the Super Six stage, where qualification for the next phase of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup pathway is on the line.
The squad selected reflects a balance of experience and emerging talent, built through the Vanuatu cricket pathway and recent domestic competitions, including the Vanuatu Made Men’s Performance League. The touring group is focused on building on recent international exposure and continuing Vanuatu’s steady rise within the East Asia Pacific region. The squad includes two very different debutants, with Interchange Vanuatu U19 Men’s National captain Rodrick Lekai earning a spot on an ICC tour for the first time, while Nicholas Venables, with cricket experience across Zimbabwe, Australia and Vanuatu, brings an experienced head into his first international tournament.
Head Coach Chris Laffan said the group was ready to embrace the opportunity.
“This is a great opportunity for the players to test themselves in a strong regional tournament. We’ve selected a squad that gives us flexibility across conditions, and there’s a good mix of experience and youth coming through the system. The focus is on executing our skills consistently and adapting quickly to tournament play.”
Matches are being played across venues in Sano and Nagoya, with the tournament featuring a group stage followed by a Super Six format. All matches are streamed free via ICC.tv, providing global visibility for teams across the region.
The Alpha Insurance Vanuatu National Men’s Cricket Team is based in Nagoya for the initial phase of the tournament before travelling to Sano for the latter stages.
The squad is as follows:
Joshua Rasu (Captain) Jarryd Allan Bettan Viraliliu Tim Cutler (and team manager) Rodrick Lekai Andrew Mansale Patrick Matautaava Williamsing Nalisa Nalin Nipiko Clement Tommy Nicholas Venables Junior Kaltapau Wotu Darren Wotu Womajo Wotu
Non-travelling reserves
Steve Sandy
Raymondo Lekai
Support staff: Chris Laffan – Head Coach Jeff Cook – Specialist Coach Emma Cutts – Physiotherapist Lucas Horne – Assistant Manager
It's great to see the Alpha Insurance Vanuatu National Men’s Cricket Team heading to Japan with such a balanced squad, particularly the inclusion of both seasoned talent like Nicholas Venables and rising star Rodrick Lekai. The strategy of blending experience with emerging talent from the Vanuatu cricket pathway seems really smart for a key qualifier. With all matches streamed free via ICC.tv, this is a fantastic opportunity for global visibility, almost like playing a high-stakes game of town of salem on the world stage. Wishing them all the best in Japan! 👍
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