Joel Ajayi
The president of the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF), Uyi Akpata has revealed that the Federation is focused on leveraging the success of the Junior Female Yellow Greens at the recently concluded U19 World Cup to achieve further growth of the game.
The Junior Female Yellow Greens impressed at the tournament, finishing as the sixth-best team after securing significant upsets against Test-playing nations New Zealand and Ireland.
Building on the team’s success, Akpata emphasized that it aligns with the NCF’s strategic plans for the year.
“We set new expectations as we progressed, and these girls deserve all the recognition they are receiving. This achievement is not a fluke; it’s the result of four years of hard work,” Akpata said during the team’s reception.
He outlined six key goals for the Federation, with one major objective being to have the female team break into the top 20 in the world rankings, while the male team aims to crack the top 25.
These efforts will pave the way for Nigeria’s participation in the Challenge League, offering the opportunity to compete in One-Day International (ODI) matches, which would elevate the country’s status in world cricket.
Additionally, other Nigerian national teams will aim to qualify for more World Cups in 2025, starting with the men’s U-19 team, which will host international teams in Lagos this April.
