Cricket’s Future In Nigeria: Federation Aims For 2028 World Cup After U-19 Sensation

Cricket’s Future In Nigeria: Federation Aims For 2028 World Cup After U-19 Sensation

The President of the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF), Uyi Akpata, has revealed the federation’s ambitious goal to have Nigeria’s female team compete in the 2028 Cricket World Cup, following an impressive performance by the nation’s…Cricket’s Future In Nigeria: Federation Aims For 2028 World Cup After U-19 Sensation

Under-19 women’s team.

The Nigerian Junior Female Yellow Greens made history with their debut at the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in Malaysia this January. In a shocking upset, they defeated New Zealand by two runs in the group stage, advancing to the Super 6 phase of the competition. This achievement marked Nigeria’s first-ever appearance in any cricket World Cup, following the men’s Under-19 team’s participation in the 2019 World Cup in South Africa.

As the team wraps up their campaign in Malaysia, with a match against Ireland on Wednesday, Akpata highlighted the importance of focused efforts and strong investment in the development of women’s and girls’ cricket in Nigeria.

“Our plan aimed for progress by 2028, but these incredible girls are surpassing our expectations,” Akpata stated in an interview with the ICC Media Zone. “This success shows that with adequate investment, we can reach our goals sooner than we initially thought.”

Akpata elaborated on the federation’s initiatives over the past two years, which include high-performance contracts for both male and female players, as well as scholarship programs for younger athletes. This approach has created a supportive environment for cricket development and sparked growing interest within the community.

“While we didn’t progress beyond the second round in the Under-19 World Cup, we are extremely proud of what these girls have achieved,” Akpata said.

He added, “There’s a buzz among fans, evident on digital platforms and social media, with many waking up early to support the team. This increasing interest is encouraging, and our ambitions are now higher than ever. We’re hitting our milestones three years ahead of schedule.”

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