WORLD CUP: NIGERIA CRICKET FEDERATION PREPARES U-19 TEAMS FOR QUALIFIERS

Read Time:2 Minute, 3 Second

The Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) has announced the readiness of both national U-19 teams (boys and girls) to participate in the World Cup qualifiers scheduled from July 31 to August 19.

According to Emeka Igwilo, the General Manager of the federation, in a statement made available to Completesports.com, the boys’ team will begin their quest to secure one of the two available tickets at the U-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup African Qualifiers Division 2.

He added that the boys’ team’s qualifiers will commence this week in Tanzania.

“Our performance at this stage in 2019 earned us our first World Cup ticket, and this stage has put us in the spotlight ever since. We are relying on the experience of the coaching staff and hard work to advance to the next stage,” Igwilo said.

Igwilo also stated that the board had reappointed Daniel Gim as the coach of the men’s U-19 team, hoping he will leverage his experience to deliver results for the country.

“The team has been in camp for weeks, and we are optimistic this preparation will benefit them in their tournaments, running from July 31 to August 14 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania,” he added.

The U-19 women’s team, featuring about eight members of the national female team, is set for a one-level World Cup Qualifier in Kigali, Rwanda, from August 19 to 31.

Igwilo emphasised that, apart from a new technical team handling the teenagers, he believes that the inclusion of experienced players who helped the country secure a bronze medal at the African Games in Accra, Ghana, raises hopes of a strong performance.

“These youngsters represent the future of the game in Nigeria. The board prioritizes grassroots engagement across the country, and we understand that for the game to progress, we must continue investing in developmental activities, facility development, and continuous upskilling of our staff,” he said.

The senior men’s national team recently completed a bilateral series with Kenya, featuring in five T20 games and two 50-over matches. They lost 3-2 in the T20 series and all 50-over encounters.

“The Nigerian teams have been busy preparing for upcoming challenges, and we are pleased with the lessons we are learning and the adjustments we are making,” Igwilo said.

The senior men’s national team will participate in a Division 2 World Cup Qualifier to be hosted in Nigeria later in November.