The Vanuatu national cricket team is the men's team that represents Vanuatu in international cricket. The team is organised by the Vanuatu Cricket Association, which became an affiliate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 1995 and an associate member in 2009.Cricinfo "Vanuatu granted associate status" 6 July 2009 http://www.cricinfo.com/ci-icc/content/story/412973.html. Retrieved 6 July 2009 Vanuatu made its international debut at the 1979 Pacific Games, at which time the country was still known as the New Hebrides.Other matches played by New Hebrides – CricketArchive. Retrieved 15 September 2015. The majority of the team's matches have come against other members of the ICC East Asia-Pacific region, including both at ICC regional tournaments and at the cricket events at the Pacific Games.
Vanuatu entered the World Cricket League at the 2008 Division Five tournament. The team participated in the WCL system at the 2015 Division Six event, where it placed third.Other matches played by Vanuatu – CricketArchive. Retrieved 15 September 2015. Following the withdrawal of Suriname from the 2016 Division Five tournament, Vanuatu were named as their replacement. After the abolition of the WCL, Vanuatu became part of the 2019–22 ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League.
History
Vanuatu competed in the Pacifica Championships on the two occasions it was held, finishing seventh in 2001 and sixth in 2002. In 2005, they hosted the East Asia/Pacific Cricket Cup, finishing third in the six team competition, therefore missing out on qualification for the 2007 World Cup. At the East Asia – Pacific Trophy in Auckland, New Zealand, in December 2007, Vanuatu finished second, therefore qualifying through to the World Cricket League Division Five in 2008. In the highly successful 2009 calendar year, Vanuatu defeated Fiji in two One-Day Series in Port Vila as well as claiming the prestigious 2009 ICC EAP Men's Cricket Trophy (Non-World Cricket League) held in Samoa, defeating the hosts in the final. At a junior level, Vanuatu has finished second to Papua New Guinea in the following competitions: East Asia – Pacific Under 15 Super 8s, Melbourne, Australia, 2005; East Asia – Pacific Under 15 Super 8s, Apia, Samoa, 2007; East Asia – Pacific Under 19 World Cup Qualifying Tournament, Port Vila, Vanuatu, 2007.
Vanuatu finished third in the 2010 ICC World Cricket League Division Eight in Kuwait. This means they stayed in that league for the 2012 competition.
2018–present At the 2018 ICC World Cricket League Division Four tournament, Vanuatu recorded victories against Bermuda, a former ODI team, and Denmark, which has previously played as high as Division Two. However, they were still relegated to Division Five based on net run rate.ICC World Cricket League Division Four Table - 2018
In April 2018, the ICC decided to grant full Twenty20 International (T20I) status to all its members. Therefore, all Twenty20 matches played between Vanuatu and other ICC members since 1 January 2019 have the full T20I status.
Vanuatu made its Twenty20 International debut on 22 March 2019, losing to Papua New Guinea by 8 wickets in the 2018–19 ICC T20 World Cup East Asia-Pacific Qualifier at Amini Park, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
After April 2019, Vanuatu played in the 2019–21 ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League.
In August 2019, Australian Clint McKay was appointed as the interim coach of the team, ahead of the 2019 Malaysia Cricket World Cup Challenge League A tournament.
Tournament history World Cricket League 2008 Division Five: 12th place – relegated to regional qualifier 2010 Division Eight: 3rd place 2012 Division Eight: Champions – promoted 2013 Division Seven: 2nd place – promoted 2013 Division Six: 3rd place 2015 Division Six: 2nd place – promoted (in place of Suriname, who were disqualified for playing unqualified players) 2016 Division Five: 4th place – relegated to regional qualifier Suriname pull out of WCL Division 5 2017 Division Five: 2nd place – promoted Victorious Vanuatu qualifies for World Cricket League Division 5 2018 Division Four: 5th place – relegated ESPNcricinfo
ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier 2023 (EAP Regional Final): 3rd
EAP 50-over tournaments 2005: 4th place 2007: 2nd place 2009 (Division Two): 1st place
EAP 20-over tournaments 2009: 5th place
Pacific Games 1979: Silver medal 1991: 4th place 2003: 5th place 2011: Bronze medal 2015: Champions 2019: Silver medal
Pacific Island Cricket Challenge 2023: Silver medal
Current Squad This lists all the players who have played for Vanuatu in the past 12 months or has been part of the latest T20I squad. Updated as of 11 March 2024
Name Age Batting style Bowling style Notes Batters Junior Kaltapau Right-handed Right-arm off break Andrew Mansale Right-handed Right-arm off break Jamal Vira Right-handed Womejo Wotu Right-handed All-rounders Nalin Nipiko Right-handed Right-arm medium Ronald Tari Right-handed Right-arm medium Vice-captain Patrick Matautaava Right-handed Right-arm medium Darren Wotu Right-handed Right-arm medium Simpson Obed Right-handed Right-arm leg break Wicket-keepers Jarryd Allen Right-handed Clement Tommy Right-handed Spin Bowlers Williamsing Nalisa Right-handed Right-arm leg break Tim Cutler Right-handed Slow left-arm orthodox Pace Bowlers Joshua Rasu Right-handed Right-arm fast-medium Captain Apolinaire Stephen Right-handed Right-arm medium-fast
Records and statistics International Match Summary — Vanuatu
Last updated 17 May 2026 Playing Record Format M W L T NR Inaugural Match Twenty20 Internationals 46 19 27 0 0 22 March 2019
Twenty20 International
Highest team total: 223/5 v Fiji, on 16 March 2023 at Albert Park Ground 1, Suva. Highest individual score: 103, Patrick Matautaava v Malaysia, 2 October 2019 at Kinrara Academy Oval, Kuala Lumpur. Best bowling figures in an innings: 6/16, Williamsing Nalisa v Fiji, on 19 August 2024 at Faleata Oval 2, Apia.
Most T20I runs for Vanuatu PlayerRunsAverageCareer spanNalin Nipiko 1,086 28.57 2019–2026Joshua Rasu 818 20.45 2019–2026Andrew Mansale 808 23.08 2019–2026Patrick Matautaava 520 16.77 2019–2024Junior Kaltapau 497 21.60 2022–2026
Most T20I wickets for Vanuatu PlayerWicketsAverageCareer spanNalin Nipiko 50 16.18 2019–2026Joshua Rasu 50 16.06 2019–2026Patrick Matautaava 38 16.31 2019–2026Williamsing Nalisa 31 23.67 2019–2026Simpson Obed 19 15.10 2019–2023
T20I record versus other nations
Records complete to T20I #3877. Last updated 17 May 2026.
Opponent M W L T NR First match First win vs Associate Members 1 0 1 0 0 10 March 2024 5 1 4 0 0 11 September 2022 15 September 2022 7 6 1 0 0 9 September 2022 9 September 2022 1 1 0 0 0 16 May 2026 16 May 2026 3 1 2 0 0 23 July 2023 28 July 2023 2 0 2 0 0 7 March 2024 6 3 3 0 0 29 September 2019 29 September 2019 8 0 8 0 0 22 March 2019 4 2 2 0 0 23 March 2019 23 March 2019 8 4 4 0 0 9 July 2019 12 July 2019 1 1 0 0 0 5 March 2024 5 March 2024
Coaching history 2014–2019: Shane Deitz (playing coach from 2018) 2019–2020: Clint McKay (acting) 2020: Simon Keen 2021–2022: Jeremy Bray 2022: Eddie Mansale (acting) 2022–2023: Ben Cameron 2023–present: Chris Laffan
See also List of Vanuatu Twenty20 International cricketers Vanuatu women's national cricket team
Notes
References
External links