African Games: Nigeria’s cricket teams get tough foes

Nigeria’s men and women’s senior cricket teams face tough draws in the group stages of the upcoming 13th African Games in Ghana from March 8 to 24, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Cricket is debuting at the Games, with seven out of the 18 International Cricket Council Associate member countries, including Nigeria, hosts Ghana, Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, and Namibia as well as the two full ICC members, South Africa and Zimbabwe, doing battle at the Achimota Cricket Grounds in Accra.

In the men’s event, Nigeria are in Group B with Namibia, Zimbabwe and Tanzania.

The Yellow Greens are the least ranked team in the group and the recent meetings against the teams at the T20 World Cup qualifiers last year produced only one win – against Tanzania for Steve Tikolo’s men.

Nigeria are currently ranked 38 in the world and will open the contest in the group against Tanzania, ranked 33, March 17, before facing the highest ranked team in the group, Namibia (11th), March 18. Their last group game is against Zimbabwe, ranked 13th, two days later.

In the women’s event, Nigeria are in Group A alongside South Africa, Namibia and Tanzania.

Just like the Yellow Greens, the Female Yellow Greens are also behind their opponents in terms of rankings.

Their first game will be against Tanzania, ranked 19th, March 7, after both sides must have weighed each other at the Nigeria Cricket Federation T20i invitational tournament in Lagos next week. That game will be followed by another test against Namibia, who are ranked 17th in the world, while their last group game is against South Africa, who are the fifth best team in the world at the moment.

While the women’s team will beef up for the African Games with the NCF T20i tournament in Lagos next week, their male counterparts, who won the maiden West Africa Trophy last October, have also intensified their training for the Games at the Tafawa Balewa Square oval in Lagos.