Kaia Arua, legendary Papua New Guinea (PNG) all-rounder, has passed away at 33, the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed. Arua, who first donned the national team colours at the East Asia-Pacific Trophy in 2010, she gradually became a regular member of the side in several East-Asia Pacific pathway events and Pacific Games cricket. She was eventually named in PNG squad for the 2018 Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier.
While her first captaincy experience came at the 2018 T20 World Cup Qualifier where she led the team against Ireland, she was named as the ICC Women's Global Development Squad in the same year. Arua got the PNG captaincy full-time at the 2019 East Asia-Pacific T20 World Cup Qualifier. It was here that she led her side to a tournament win as well as qualify for both the 2019 ICC Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier and the 2021 Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier tournaments.
Kaia Arua's Career In Numbers
Kaia Arua, a left-arm spinner and a useful batter, led PNG in as many as 39 T20Is with official status. Out of these, she ensured that her team wins majority of matches, registering a winning percentage of over 74. She is also the team's leading wicket-taker in PNG Women's Internationals, having scalped 59 T20I wickets at 10.2. Her best figures of 5/7 off her four overs also happen to be the second-best in the team's T20I history. She also recorded a four-wicket haul for at least 5 times in her career and sits among the top three in that list of most four-wicket in an innings. In addition, Arua also featured in Fairbreak tournaments across 2022 and 2023. She played for the Falcons.
The cause of the death has not been revealed by the ICC but the tragic piece of information has sent the entire cricket community into mourning.