Following Nigeria’s win over New Zealand on the ICC U-19 Ladies’s T20 World Cup on Monday, ABIODUN ADEWALE writes on the prospect of the group as the game features consideration within the nation
In a football-mad nation like Nigeria, it could possibly be troublesome for different sports activities to achieve consideration.
However when a sport like cricket, which is comparatively unknown among the many over 200 million inhabitants, wakes the nation up on a Monday morning, it means there could possibly be extra potential behind the victory that’s being celebrated.
Nigeria’s feminine U-19 cricket group, the Junior Feminine Yellow Greens, turned the toast of the nation on Monday after upsetting test-playing nation New Zealand by two runs to safe a historic win of their first sport on the 2025 ICC U-19 Ladies’s T20 World Cup in Malaysia.
It was a delayed debut for the group, having seen their first sport, which was speculated to be in opposition to Samoa washed out on Saturday.
Regardless of one other rain delay on the Borneo Cricket Floor in Sarawak, Malaysia, there was no denying Nigeria’s buzzing stars an opportunity to shine as the sport was diminished to 13 overs and the ladies snatched the win in gorgeous trend.
After an early peck on the woods, captain Fortunate Piety led the cost scoring Nigeria’s first World Cup six whereas Lilian Ude added 19 runs earlier than a 4 off the ultimate ball from Omosigho Eguakun noticed Nigeria arrange New Zealand to chase 66 runs for the lack of six wickets in 13 overs.
If the primary innings was robust, what was to come back within the second was more durable with New Zealand being in management for essentially the most half regardless of Nigeria taking an early wicket with the primary ball.
Ude bowled an ideal closing over, conceding solely six runs with a run out on the ultimate ball as Nigeria claimed a particular and historic win.
For her 18 runs off 22 balls and a pointy bowling spell of 1 wicket for simply eight runs in three overs, the captain, Piety, was awarded the Participant of The Match award, affirming her teammates’ alternative of her because the game-changer earlier than the beginning of the event.
Past the oval, a number of Nigerians are nonetheless discovering it unusual that the nation has a cricket group and speak of beating the world’s fourth-ranked nation New Zealand on the World Cup.
“Unbelievable! I’ve by no means even seen a cricket area in Nigeria earlier than. It’s like India successful a match on the World Cup,” a Nigerian, Amara Nwankpa wrote on X amid the thrill concerning the win.
Gabriel Onifade additionally wrote, “That is superb. Congratulations to our Nigerian women. They’re making us proud. I don’t know that Nigeria performs cricket.”
Maybe due to feedback like these, the president of the Nigeria Cricket Federation, Uyi Akpata, often recounts the board’s effort in growing the sport.
Earlier than the beginning of the U-19 Ladies’s World Cup, Akpata exuded confidence within the group’s capacity to venture the nation’s cricket to the world.
“We’re right here to announce ourselves to the world and make Nigeria proud,” Akpata instructed NCF Media.
“Our participation is on the again of six to seven years of exhausting work and deep grassroots developmental work. A number of the efforts even earned us world awards. The ladies know what is predicted, and the help from everybody again house will see us go far. I’m assured in our skills.”
One other main reminder for the Nigerian sports activities populace is the truth that the nation gained a bronze medal on the African Video games final 12 months in Ghana, with about seven gamers from the present squad being a part of the ladies’s senior nationwide group that achieved that.
After Monday’s win, the captain of the group, Piety additionally re-echoed Akpata’s sentiments with due credit score to her teammates.
“It is a very particular second for us. There have been a variety of catches and a variety of working between the wickets that I couldn’t have finished alone. Effectively performed by the group, everybody did their greatest and it was a collective effort from everyone,” Piety instructed ICC Media Zone.
“Now we have been coaching for a very long time. Again within the qualifiers, we had so many issues to do again house and work on and naturally, work on our weaknesses in addition to our strengths. With our assets, we now have been capable of pull off this wi,n and it has been teamwork.”
Head coach of the group and former Kenyan worldwide Sarah Bakhita, defined how the Junior Feminine Yellow Greens had been capable of get the higher of their opponents.
“It felt so good, we knew that it was by no means unsure and making it occur was large,” the coach mentioned.
“The second innings was fairly nerve-wracking and one factor about our group is a strong bowling assault. We analysed a few of their strengths and the ladies performed to what we mentioned.”
Nigeria are actually second in Group C with three factors, one level adrift of leaders South Africa who brushed apart Samoa by 10 wickets for his or her second win of the event.
Each Nigeria and South Africa are nicely positioned to advance into the Tremendous 6 stage of the event however they are going to face off Wednesday to determine who finishes on high of the group.
Being the primary main event that the nation’s flag can be hoisted in 2025, it was solely pure that the ladies give Nigeria a befitting begin and there is likely to be extra to come back within the coming days when the event wraps up by February 2.
“Our technique within the Nigeria camp is one sport at a time; we now have taken one, and there’s nonetheless extra to come back,” Captain Piety mentioned.
