Janeiro Tucker smashed sixes off the first three balls of the last over to guide Bermuda to a stunning five wickets victory over Papua New Guinea (PNG) in a crucial Group A fixture of the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier UAE 2012 at the ICC GCA Oval 1 on Monday.
Needing 16 off the final six balls of the match, Tucker blasted three straight sixes off PNG captain Rarva Dikana that helped Bermuda overtake the 156-run target with three balls to spare. While the victory earned Bermuda its first victory in the tournament, the defeat ended PNG's hopes of finishing in the top three in its group.
Tucker, later declared man of the match, finished unbeaten on 52 that came off 33 balls and included one four and five towering sixes. Bermuda captain David Hemp was the other main run-getter with a 27-ball 30 with a four and a six. The two batsmen added 55 runs for the fourth wicket in just over seven overs.
Tucker later said: "My personal performance was really outstanding today. I haven't really had a good last four or five games, but today came all together."
"The team has been on the par for the last 5 games but now as the tournament goes on and we're almost at the end, we're getting a little better. So hopefully we can finish off our last three games with victories and hopefully the morale is high after this victory here and we can just continue to build."
"Hitting that last ball was amazing. That was always my intention to try to get us to victory in the last over."
"I guess our strategy for the last couple of games will be pretty much the same as of today. We got a victory so I guess we've done something right."
Earlier, Vani Vagi Morea top scored with 49 not out in PNG's 155 for six. Morea hit four fours and two sixes in a 31-ball knock. Chris Amini with 32 was the other notable run-getter.
Scores in brief
Bermuda beats PNG by five wickets at ICC GCA Oval 1
PNG 155-6, 20 overs (Vani Vagi Morea 49 not out, Chris Amini 32, Geraint Jones 23; Curt Stovell 2-21, Sam Robinson 2-27)
Bermuda 158-5, 19.3 overs (Janeiro Tucker 52 not out, Curt Stovell 31, David Hemp 30)
Man of the match Janeiro Tucker
