Proud parents Leautulilagī Popo Lilo and Sekini Sililoto-Lilo expressed overwhelming pride as they witnessed their daughter’s rise in a sport she only began playing seriously two years ago. 

The family, who hail from the village of Matafa’a, Gagaifolevao Lefaga, Moata’a and Lotofaga are beyond proud of 16-year-old Selina Toaiva Lilo, a player in the Samoa Under-19 cricket team which has made history by qualifying for the ICC Women’s Under-19 World Cup 2025 in Malaysia. 

“We were actually quite surprised as our daughter had only recently taken up the sport,” recalled the Lilo's parents.

“She trialled for her school team, Epsom Girls Grammar 1st XI in 2024 and was selected, yet she had only played Kilikiti Samoa before that.” The Lilo family has been amazed by Selina's impressive journey, full of unexpected triumphs.

“The proudest moment for us as parents was firstly her selection for the Epsom Girls 1st X1, with no prior experience or skill in the game besides Kilikiti Samoa, and now her selection for the Samoa International U19 at only 16 years old," they added.

Selina's parents said they have high hopes for her experience at the Cricket World Cup. 

“Our hopes and expectations for our daughter at the World Cup are to learn, watch and experience the tournament,” they noted. 

Observing top-ranked teams will provide Selina with valuable insights into the game and serve as a source of inspiration for her future endeavours in cricket. 

“Watching the top ranked countries, the batting, bowling and fielding and use that as a benchmark and motivation for her to aspire to be better,” they said.

The Lilos look forward to the opportunities ahead for their daughter, who has already made history by helping the Samoa Under-19 women’s cricket team become the first from the nation to qualify for a World Cup. For the Lilos, Selina’s achievements are a testament to hard work, dedication, and the unyielding spirit of their young athlete.

Meanwhile, the second game for the girls against powerhouses South Africa did not go so well at the Borneo Cricket Ground.

Unfortunately, Samoa batted first and were all out for just 16 runs in their second match of the U19 Women's T20 World Cup. 

Chasing such a modest target was a straightforward task for the South African openers, who accomplished the feat in a rapid 1.4 overs. After a delayed start to the match, South Africa won the toss and opted to bowl, delivering a sensational performance. 

They dismantled Samoa's batting lineup, bowling them out for just 16 runs in 9.1 overs. Nthabiseng Nini starred with the ball, claiming three wickets while conceding only 4 runs. Fay Cowling, Seshnie Naidu, and Kayla Reyneke each contributed with two wickets in a commanding display of bowling.

This is the new record for the lowest-ever score at an under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup and beats the previous lowest of 23 all out by Malaysia, which was set a day prior when Sri Lanka thrashed the host nation by 162 runs in Kuala Lumpur. 

Chief Executive Officer of Samoa International Cricket Association, Sala Stella Tagitau said these matches serve as a learning experience for the girls. 

"The girls have a lot of takeaways and learnings from yesterday's game against South Africa, which they will look into correcting as they prepare for tomorrow's last pool game against New Zealand," she said.