Cook Islands women’s cricket coach Dan Vann says coaching the team at the Bali Bash International T20 Tournament in Indonesia has been an unforgettable journey.

Looking back at their successful wins, Vann shared his coaching reflections as he had the honour and privilege of coaching the Cook Islands Women’s Cricket and “what an unforgettable journey it was.”

The team won second place runner up after Indonesia won by 3 wickets on their home ground.

Vann shared that before the tournament, they set four simple but powerful goals and they were; gain valuable international experience, play with pride and courage, inspire the next generation of Pacific Island women and have a lot of fun along the way.

“Fair to say… we smashed those goals out of the park.”

Sharing his opinion on the Evolution Performance social media page he said, “This group of vaine toa (strong women) played with passion, pride, and incredible courage. They committed to every task asked of them, backed themselves to try new things, and most importantly, stayed tightly connected as a team.

“We shared knowledge, laughs, language, dance, song, and prayer. There was deep cultural learning, both cricket-related and personal—and it created an environment where everyone felt seen, valued, and safe to be their authentic selves.

“As a coach, watching this group grow—individually and collectively—was something truly special. Confidence soared, voices got louder, and expression became effortless. That’s the power of safe, connected environments.”
He added that in the final, they faced a strong Indonesian team, where they only posted 57 runs—but followed by a display of heart and defensive skill that nearly turned the match around.

“Our bowling and fielding effort was world-class. Despite the result, I couldn’t be prouder of this team.

This campaign reminded me that success isn’t always found on the scoreboard. It’s found in growth, unity, bravery, and joy.”

He added that the future of Cook Islands cricket is bright—“and this group of vaine are leading the way.”