Cricket: Thrilling Conclusion To West Africa Trophy Delights Uyi Akpata

President of the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF), Prof. Uyi Akpata, has expressed his satisfaction with the successful conclusion of the 2025 West Africa Trophy held at the Cricket Oval in Package B of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.

The four-nation tournament culminated in an exhilarating final on Sunday, where host nation Nigeria triumphed over Rwanda by 40 runs, successfully defending their title.

After winning the toss and opting to bat, Nigeria set a competitive total of 157 for 5. Captain Runsewe Sulaimon led the charge with a composed 34 runs off 26 balls, while an explosive unbeaten cameo of 35 from just 22 balls by Okpe Sylvester significantly boosted the innings towards the end. Contributions also came from Selim Salau (25) and Vincent Adewoye (21). For Rwanda, Muhammad Nadir emerged as the standout bowler, claiming 3 wickets for 18 runs.

In their pursuit of 158 runs for victory, Rwanda struggled against a disciplined Nigerian bowling attack, finishing at 117 for 9 in their allotted 20 overs. Didier Ndikubwimana top-scored for Rwanda with 33 runs, supported by Khan Hamza’s quick 27, but the required run rate proved insurmountable.
Ndubudem Elochukwu was pivotal for Nigeria, delivering an outstanding spell of 2 wickets for just 13 runs in four overs. He received excellent backing from Joshua Asia (2/17) and Isaac Okpe (2/25), who effectively dismantled the Rwandan batting line-up.

This victory reinforces Nigeria’s dominance on home soil in the 2025 West Africa Trophy, marking a successful tournament for the host nation.

Speaking to journalists after the final match, NCF President Akpata praised the team’s performance, highlighting it as a solid foundation for the future. “We clearly displayed our class, which was quite important,” he stated. “However, let’s remember that four of our national team players were absent, providing an opportunity to test some of these young talents.”

“Three of these players earned their first caps in this tournament, giving us an excellent platform to build upon for next year.”

Akpata further emphasised the significance of hosting the event in Abuja, stating, “The real triumph for me is that we’ve successfully held this tournament in Abuja. We intend to use this event, scheduled for the end of November to early December each year, to showcase what our twin Ovals and, more importantly, our capital city, Abuja, have to offer to the world.”