In an impressive display of skills and determination, Nigeria’s men’s cricket team, the Yellow Greens, cruised to winning start at the ongoing 2024 ICC T20 World Cup Sub-Regional Qualifier C at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, with a win over Saint Helena by 118 runs in their opening game on Day 1.
Batting first, Nigeria set a formidable target, ending the Nigerian innings on 185/2 in 20 overs. Their innings were characterized by solid partnerships and aggressive batting, with standout performances led by former Under 19 captain, Rdiwan Kareem, which ensured the likes of Brett Isaac, Cliff Richards, Jamie Essex and Andre Yon were dismissed for a duck.
Kareem was the standout bowler with four dismissals as captain Sylvester Okpe sent two batters back to the pavilion while Peter Aho, Taiwo Mohammed and Isaac picked one wicket each to restrict Saint Helena to 67/10 in 19.1 0vers.
In reply, Saint Helena struggled with the bat, with no batter scoring 20 runs and above. Scott Crowie’s 17 off 32, Aiden Leo 18’s off 27 and David Young’s 13 off 12 were the top batting performances for the side.
Saint Helena struggled to build momentum against Nigeria’s disciplined bowling attack. Their innings faltered as wickets fell at regular intervals, with the Nigerian bowlers executing their plans effectively. Despite a few resilient efforts from individual batsmen, Saint Helena was ultimately bowled out by 118 runs
The match highlighted Nigeria’s all-round capabilities, showcasing both their batting depth and bowling prowess. With this victory, Nigeria not only secured important points but also demonstrated their potential and significant morale booster as they look to build on this performance in upcoming matches and pick one of the slots to the final 8 of the World Cup qualifier.
In other games played on Saturday, Botswana defeated Eswatini by 45 runs, scoring 172/4 in their 20 overs before dismissing their opponents for 124 in 18.4 overs. Meanwhile, Sierra Leone showcased an even more emphatic display, thrashing Ivory Coast by a staggering 168 runs. Sierra Leone posted 188/2 in their 20 overs and skittled out the Ivorians for a paltry 20 runs in just 10.4 overs.
The top two teams from this sub-regional qualifier will advance to the final phase, where two spots are up for grabs to represent Africa at the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup alongside South Africa.
