Nigeria’s U-19 Cricket Team Falls Short Against Namibia in World…

Nigeria’s U-19 cricket team lost to Namibia by 10 runs in their qualifier opener for the 2026 ICC World Cup. Namibia, batting first, scored 133 runs, while Nigeria managed only 123 runs in response. Nigeria will play Tanzania next, and Namibia faces Sierra Leone on Saturday.

The Junior Yellow Greens of Nigeria commenced their 2026 ICC U-19 World Cup qualification campaign disappointingly, suffering a narrow defeat against Namibia by 10 runs at the Tafawa Balewa Cricket Oval in Lagos on Friday, as reported by PUNCH Sports Extra. Nigeria is serving as the host for this final phase of the ICC Africa qualifiers, competing against five other teams for a singular tournament ticket.

In the match, Namibia’s captain, Francois Du Plessis, won the toss and opted to bat first, prompting Nigeria’s Gafar Kareem to take the field with his team. Although Nigeria’s bowlers exhibited strong performances, Namibia constructively accumulated their runs, reaching only 50 runs after the first 16 overs. Ukasha Isiyaku shone for Nigeria, capturing five wickets for merely five runs, while Azeez Warees contributed three wickets. Namibia concluded their innings with a total of 133 runs for 10 wickets in 47.5 overs, with Max Heingo registering the highest score of 22 runs from 20 balls.

During their batting innings, Nigeria initiated their chase with Rahmon Ali showcasing a strong performance. Coach Daniel Gim’s squad surged to 50 runs within just 9.4 overs; however, they faltered following the dismissal of Ali, caught by Du Plessis in the 14th over. Ali achieved a commendable score of 53 runs off 46 balls, featuring four fours and three sixes, yet this effort fell short of securing victory for Nigeria. Ultimately, Nigeria’s innings concluded at 123 runs for 10 wickets in 40.2 overs, allowing Namibia to celebrate their first victory.

The Junior Yellow Greens are poised for their next challenge on Sunday against Tanzania in their second match of the series. Meanwhile, Namibia will meet Sierra Leone on Saturday at the UNILAG cricket oval. In a noteworthy performance during the opening day’s second match, Kenya triumphed over Sierra Leone with a convincing 58-run victory.

In summary, Nigeria’s U-19 cricket team faced a challenging start to their World Cup qualification journey, narrowly losing to Namibia. Despite notable individual performances, Nigeria could not maintain their momentum during their batting innings. The next matches offer an opportunity for the Junior Yellow Greens to recover and seek a crucial victory against Tanzania, as they strive for a spot in the ICC U-19 World Cup.

Original Source: punchng.com