Nigerian Cricket Federation Confirms 2026 Women’s T20I Invitational

Lagos is set to become the epicenter of African women’s cricket next month after the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF), confirmed the return of its flagship Women’s T20I Invitational Tournament.

Scheduled to run from March 18 to 29, 2026, the competition promises its most diverse lineup yet, featuring Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, and a debutant side: the South Africa U-19 women’s team.

The Tafawa Balewa Cricket Oval will host the expanded five-nation event, which marks a significant step up from the tournament’s origins as a bilateral series.

The competition, which began as a bilateral series with Rwanda, was not held last year due to the NCF’s busy calendar.

Ahead of this year’s tournament, the federation has affirmed its readiness to use the competition as a high-performance platform for the team.

“The tournament is expected to attract strong regional competition while providing valuable match exposure for elite and emerging female players ahead of key international engagements,” the NCF said in a statement.

The Female Yellow Greens won the tournament for the first time in 2023 before surrendering the title to Tanzania in 2024, while Rwanda last won it in 2022.

“The zonal qualifiers form a vital part of Nigeria’s cricket development pathway, providing young players with a structured platform to test their skills against peers from other states. For many participants, the championship represents a first opportunity to compete in a high-pressure, multi-state environment while gaining valuable exposure and experience,” the NCF statement read.