International Cricket Council, ICC , has heaped huge praises on the Nigeria Cricket Federation over the successful inaugural Criio event, an initiative put in place to increase number of women participation in Cricket.
The maiden Criiio Festival aimed at promoting cricket among the women in the country will hold in Abuja where over 400 school girls from 17 schools across the length and breath converged at Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja to had fun-filled event.
While speaking yesterday in Abuja, the ICC Women’s Cricket Officer, Amna Rafiq expressed satisfaction over successful launched of the inaugural edition of Criio Women’s Cricket Festival saying that Nigeria has huge potentials to be among the best country in the world.
According to her, Nigeria Cricket Federation have today launched their Women’s Cricket Festival, which is part of a pilot that the ICC are doing with ten of the members
“And it’s so great to see so many women and girls out here trying cricket, picking up a baton ball for the first time for the majority of them. And just simply having fun, and that’s really good to see.
“We’ve heard from data and research that women are not picking up a baton ball, and that’s what we’re out here to do. We’re on a mission.
“By 2029, NCF got plan to get a million women and girls playing the game. So, yeah, it’s a really exciting
“These young girls here today are a bit of a pathway to see and aspire to be at a future World Cup, so far, Nigeria has huge potentials to be among the best country in the world”.
She, however, said that ICC will do everything possible to ensure it provide needed equipment for member nation that will further grow the games of Cricket in the world.
While speaking after the event President of Federation, Uyi Akpata said, the objective of creating more awareness for game has been achieved.
He said: “The festival exceeded the federation expectation, it meet its purpose, because if you look round, you will see that there is right atmosphere for girls to enjoy the game of cricket.
“We are going to do more with backing of FCT Education Board we just need to go out there and make cricket the most population game in fct and to the rest of Nigeria”, he promised.
