Nigeria’s men’s cricket team, the Yellow Greens, revived their prospects in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup African Qualifiers with a thrilling three-wicket victory over Tanzania in Windhoek, Namibia on Sunday. Coming off a setback against Kenya on Thursday and a draw against Rwanda on Friday, the Yellow Greens needed a win to keep alive their chances of a top-two finish among the seven-nation qualifiers.
Captain Sylvester Okpe emphasized the team’s awareness of the crucial nature of the match, stating, “It was a win we needed; we had no excuse but to lock down this win.” Disappointed by the outcome against Kenya and the rain-affected draw with Rwanda, Okpe stressed the importance of the much-needed victory against Tanzania.
Captain Abhik Patwa played a pivotal role, scoring 52 runs off 40 balls, while Ivan Selemani contributed 26 runs from 22 balls, contending with Nigeria’s pace bowlers. The standout performance, however, came from Prosper Useni, whose explosive innings of 31 runs off 19 balls earned him the well-deserved Player of the Match award.
Looking ahead, Nigeria continues its quest for a World Cup ticket with a match against Uganda on Monday, November 27th, at 2:00 pm at the United Cricket ground. The competition for the 2024 T20 World Cup ticket includes Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and the host nation Namibia.
Quest: Oniovosa Glory