The Nigerian national men’s cricket team, fondly known as the ‘Yellow-Greens,’ have continued their astonishing run at the ongoing West African Trophy tournament in Lagos.
The team so far has an unblemished record in the T20i format tournament at the Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos; winning all their five games so far
With Ghana, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, and host Nigeria in contention, the tournament has witnessed twenty thrilling matches since its commencement on 4 October.
As the competition enters a crucial stage, Nigeria stands tall with ten points from five consecutive wins, showcasing their dominance and prowess on the field.
Ghana closely follows with six points from three wins in five matches, while Rwanda holds four points from two victories.
Unfortunately, Sierra Leone has faced defeat in all five matches, struggling to find their footing in the competition.
The tournament, organised by the Nigeria Cricket Federation in collaboration with Dafabet, Sparkle, and the Lagos State government, has become a platform not just for competition but also for the global exposure of the game.
Significance of the event
President of the Nigeria Cricket Federation, Uyi Akpata, emphasised the significance of the event in elevating Nigeria’s capacity for managing sports events on a larger scale.
“We have been on a strategic drive to grow the game of cricket, and one of our objectives is to grow the capacity of our personnel to align with our purpose of delivering commensurate values to every stakeholder invested in us. This event helped us tick the column on global exposure for partnering brands as all our matches have been streamed seamlessly, from the first day to millions of fans across the world,” stated Akpata.
Among other things, the ongoing tournament is serving as a vital preparation ground and an essential part of Nigeria’s preparation for the upcoming final World Cup Qualifier in Namibia later this year.
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Head Coach and High-Performance Manager, Steve Tikolo, emphasised the importance of the matches in providing crucial playing time for the team.
“We are winning, but what is key here is that the team is having playing time, and that is important to implement all the drills we have been doing in practice. The games in Namibia are going to be a different feel altogether,” Coach Tikolo remarked.
The Yellow-Greens, having been without an international encounter for nine months due to postponed events, are capitalising on the West African Trophy to fine-tune their skills and build momentum.
The tournament will observe a brief break on Monday, 9 October, before resuming with a second tie between Nigeria and Rwanda, and Sierra Leone seeking their first win against Ghana.
The grand finale is set for Sunday, 15 October 2023, when the winners of the semi-final matches will clash for the West Africa Trophy.
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