Women’s U-19 cricket W/Cup: Nigeria qualify for Super Six despite defeat to S’Africa

The Junior Female Yellow Greens have progressed into the Super Six stage of the 2025 ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup after finishing second in Group C behind South Africa.

The Junior Female Yellow Greens ended their group campaign with a 41-run defeat against South Africa at the Borneo Cricket Ground Sarawak on Wednesday.

The result required using the Duckworth Lewis Stern (DLS) method to fairly calculate in a match that was reduced to eight overs per side due to rain.

The DLS method is a formula for fairly calculating the winning side when inclement weather interrupts a match. It also includes recalculating totals when time is lost in a cricket game.

Nigeria’s historic two-run win over New Zealand on Monday and the share of points against Samoa were enough to make the Junior Female Yellow Greens the second-best team in Group C.

The match was the second meeting between Nigeria and South Africa in women’s cricket in the last year. Piety Lucky, Nigerian captain, won the toss and sent the leading African side to bat first.

But led by Simone Lourens’ four fours, South Africa got off to a good start in the crease but was eventually curtailed by the Nigerian captain in the seventh over before the game was forced down to eight overs by a rain stoppage.

After the restart, Lucky continued her rich form, dismissing Kayla Reyneke with another wicket ball as the South Africans finished the first innings 49 for 2.

Nigeria’s chase was nervy, and the adrenaline rush only helped the team amass 24 for 8.

Despite the result, the Nigerian team will continue to chase history in the Super 6 stage when they take on England and Ireland on January 25 and 29, respectively.

England and Ireland emerged from Group B where they finished first and third respectively.

Nigeria will need all the points and runs in the next round to consolidate their group-stage efforts as they hope to reach the semi-finals.