Nigeria Crush Lesotho To Seal 2027 World Cup Qualifying Spot

Nigeria’s senior men’s cricket team, the YellowGreens, have qualified for the 2027 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Regional Final after defeating Lesotho by seven wickets at the Africa Sub-Regional Qualifier C in Abuja on Saturday.

The victory extended Nigeria’s unbeaten run in the competition and confirmed their progression to the next stage of the qualification campaign for the 2028 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, Lesotho were bowled out for 62 runs in 12.5 overs as Nigeria’s bowlers delivered a disciplined performance at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Sub-Regional Qualifier C.

Nigeria captain Chima Akachukwu led the attack with four wickets for 14 runs in 3.5 overs, including a maiden over, to leave Lesotho struggling to build a competitive total.

Elochukwu Ndubudem also impressed, taking two wickets for just four runs in two overs, while Kenneth Boniface claimed two wickets for 14 runs. Mohammed Taiwo chipped in with a wicket as Nigeria maintained pressure on the opposition.

Lesotho’s Tsepiso Chaoana provided some resistance with an unbeaten 26 off 18 deliveries, but his effort was insufficient to prevent his side from being dismissed for a modest total.

In response, the YellowGreens reached 65 for three in just 7.4 overs to complete a comfortable victory, with 74 balls remaining.

Despite losing three wickets early in the chase, Nigeria recovered through Ridwan Abdulkareem and Miracle Akhigbe, who combined to guide the hosts across the finish line.

Abdulkareem finished unbeaten on 28 off 18 balls, including three fours and a six, while Akhigbe contributed an unbeaten 26 off 25 deliveries, striking four boundaries.

Their unbroken partnership ensured Nigeria completed the chase without further loss, underlining the team’s composure after the early setbacks.

The result secures Nigeria’s place in the 2027 Africa Regional Final, bringing them a step closer to qualifying for the 2028 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

The YellowGreens have combined disciplined bowling with effective batting throughout the Abuja campaign, strengthening their position among the teams competing for progression to the next qualifying stage.

With qualification secured, Nigeria will face Uganda in their final group-stage fixture on Sunday, October 25, as they seek to preserve their unbeaten record and finish the sub-regional tournament on a winning note.