Nigeria, Kenya in opening win at cricket WCQ in Abuja
The Junior Yellow Greens of Nigeria will on Monday launch their quest for a spot in the ICC U-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024 billed for Sri Lanka with an encounter against Sierra Leone at the University of Dar-es-Salaam Cricket Oval.
The eight-day event bowled off on Sunday with a rain-washed encounter between host Tanzania and Kenya while Namibia and Uganda locked horns for a ticket to next year’s World Cup.
Daniel Gim, Nigeria’s coach and former national team player, said his team is in good shape for the upcoming games
“We have been focusing on mental preparation and game awareness. Our bowling is our trump card and it should take us over the line with the trio of Prosper Useni, captain Ridwan Abdulkareem and Chiemelie Udekwe at the front. Every one is our rival in the round-robin event and we will tackle any team as they come,” Gim said.
Advertisement
Only one World Cup ticket is being vied for by the six participating countries in Dar-es-Salaam.
They include Nigeria, Kenya, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Uganda and Tanzania.
Uyi Akpata, president of the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF), said the country’s current U-19 team is a product of grassroots campaigns and unrelenting commitment from stakeholders to grow the game.
Advertisement
“It feels gratifying that our efforts are being recognised across Africa as more of our players are matching up with the best. We have, on several occasions, rattled the existing powerhouses of the game and hence every team here in Tanzania is very wary of Nigeria,” Akpata said.
Add a comment
