Nigeria begin women T20i cricket defence with win

Nigeria’s senior female team, the defending champion of the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) women’s T20 invitational tournament, on Sunday, began their title defence with a 54-run win over Sierra Leone at the Tafawa Balewa cricket oval in Lagos.

Nigeria had elected to bat after winning the toss and set a 137-run (for the loss of two wickets) hurdle for the Sierra Leonian side in their innings. Favour Eseigbe contributed 44 runs from 48 balls, while Peculiar Agboya and Esther Sandy left 33 and 30 balls apiece in the inning.

In the second inning, Ann-Marie Monica Kamara and Janet Kowa pulled in 22 and 21 runs respectively in a bid to chase the score the rampant Nigerian side had left before eventually capitulating, with eight wickets felled.

Uyi Akpata, president of the NCF, said the event is part of the numerous avenues that the federation has designed to promote the sport. He expressed delight at the rising international interest in the tournament.

“The NCF Women T20 Invitational has been on the rise, and the quality of games has helped Nigeria gain prominence as we now rank 29th in the world, down from the 38th that we occupied as recently as 2021,” Akpata said.

According to him, the win over Sierra Leone on Sunday also showed the level of investment and work that the board and technical team have put into the team over the past few years.

“Nigeria has practically ridden on the performances and exposures that events like this have provided to become a force in female cricket in Africa,” he also said.

Earlier in the day, Rwanda had brushed aside the threat of a higher-ranking Tanzania to hold them to a 33-run win.

With a batting effort of Uwase Merveille (33 runs), and the bowling prowess of Ishimwe Henriette and Irera Rosine (three wickets each), Rwanda checked Tanzania’s potential for overturning their first inning’s 119 runs, by leaving them at 86 all out.

Nigeria will next meet Tanzania on Monday before Rwanda and Sierra Leone take to the pitch later in the day.