BY Afolabi Gambari
The Nigeria Cricket Federation has concluded plans to host the Rwandan female national Cricket team in Abuja on a one-week first ever tour of Nigeria from January 23 to 30.
TheCable learnt that the tour, which is the first leg of a bilateral international friendly series between Nigeria and Rwanda,would take place at the newly constructed turf wicket pitch inside the Abuja National Stadium. The return leg is schedule for June 2019 in Kigali, the Rwandan capital.
President of the Nigeria Cricket Federation, Adamu Ukwenya, said on Sunday that the development was a major achievement for Nigerian cricket and an indication that the strides at home was being noticed across Africa.
“The relationship we have with Rwandan Cricket is the first of its kind for Nigerian cricket and it is mutually beneficial and we are looking forward to extending it in all ramifications by exploring different ways we can leverage to grow the game on the field, including technical and the management capacities for both federations,” the NCF boss said, adding, “We also hope the effect would impact on cricket across the continent.”
The Nigeria female national team has been camped in Kaduna State for three weeks as the players prepare to jostle for slots in the team that will engage the Rwandans in the six encounters scheduled for the Abuja tour.
Vice President of the federation, Uyi Akpata, said that the Rwandan tour of Nigeria would enable the Nigerian team to be tested in skill and depth ahead of its busy schedule this year.
“We have 24 players camped in Kaduna with the full technical team to train, select and possibly inject newness in the team that we are preparing for major events later in the year,” Akpata said.
The NCF has also invited technical officials from Ghana Cricket Association to partner with the Nigerian team with a view to upgrading the Series and The Cable learnt that the Ghanaians have accepted the invitation.
Among other things, the Rwandan Tour would boost the growing interest in female cricket in Nigeria with 25 states currently involved in grassroots development as well as active participation at intermediary and senior levels. Most of the players in the Kaduna camp are drawn from the National Youth Games for U-15, the National U-17 Girls Championship and National Women’s Championship across the country.
The Rwandan Tour of Nigeria will see the visiting team take on the home side on six different occasions while the 6-match Series will consist of two (2) ODI 40 overs matches and Three (3)T-20 matches.
Meanwhile the Nigerian female team has also been invited for the first time by the International Cricket Council to take part in the ICC Women’s World Cup Africa Qualifier billed for Zimbabwe later in the year, a development that encourages the Nigeria Cricket Federation to exploit bilateral series as early preparation for the national team players.
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