Cricket: Curtain Falls On 6th NCF/PwC National U-17 Zonal Championship

The  Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) National Under-17 Cricket Championship for boys and girls, powered by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has ended across the six geopolitical zones of the country.

This sixth edition of the tournament saw an expansion to 36 states participating, achieving a record attendance that showcased emerging talents nationwide. This highlights the hope for the next generation of cricket superstars and reflects the positive impact of the NCF’s grassroots development initiatives. Notably, Yobe and Adamawa states in the North East emerged as shining examples of success, overcoming years of insecurity and insurgency challenges to make significant strides in cricket.

Lagos State dominated the South West qualification, claiming gold medals in both the boys’ and girls’ categories., with Oyo and Ogun States finished as first and second runners-up respectively, but with the girls’ standings reversing roles as Oyo and Ogun traded positions.

In the South East, Imo State continued its dominance in the boys’ category, finishing ahead of Anambra and Ebonyi States, which took second and third places. Ebonyi State excelled in the girls’ category, remaining unbeaten and securing first place, while Anambra and Abia followed in second and third.

South-south recorded a shift of power with Delta State achieving their first victory over Edo State to take the top spot in the girls’ category. Edo and Akwa Ibom States shared second and third positions, respectively. However, Edo State retained their dominance in the boys’ category, comfortably defeating Delta State in the finals, while Akwa Ibom settled for third.

Power shifted entirely in the North Central zone, with Niger State emerging champions in the boys’ category after narrowly losing to Kwara State in the previous edition. Benue State, making their debut, surprisingly took second place, while Kogi State secured third. In the girls’ category, Kogi State claimed first position, followed by Kwara State and FCT in third.

Kaduna State continued their impressive record in the North West by winning both the boys’ and girls’ categories. Kebbi State achieved their first medal in the tournament, finishing in second place, while Zamfara State took third in the boys’ category. Sokoto State was a surprising runner-up in the girls’ category, with Kebbi State finishing third.

The North East zone produced perhaps the biggest surprise, as Adamawa State, making their debut, emerged champions in the boys’ category, with youth game medalist Taraba State finishing as runners-up and Gombe State in third. The girls’ category concluded with Gombe State taking first place and Borno State finishing second, as only two female teams participated from the region.

The finals of the tournament are scheduled to take place in Abuja from 5th to 10th March 2025.