TheCable

Nigeria will face Rwanda in the opening match of the International Cricket Council (ICC) U-19 men’s cricket World Cup Africa division 2 qualifiers in Abuja on Friday.

The championship will also feature  Kenya, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Ghana, and Sierra Leone.

The teams will slug it out with each other to make the top three spots required to move to the next level.

Ghana and Botswana teams arrived in the federal capital late on Thursday, a development which may cause slight change in the match fixtures.

Ogbonnaya Okogeri, chairman of the local organising committee, said Nigeria already secured a big win for being able to meet the standards required for hosting the international event.

“This is the second ICC event that Nigeria is hosting but this particular one is unique as it is on a higher level due to the quality of facility and personnel required to stage it. The icing on the cake would be for Nigeria to have a successful hosting,” Okogeri said.

William Glenwright, global developmental manager at the ICC, also lauded Nigeria for hosting the event.

He described the country’s feat in cricket developmental index as “impressive”, adding that such would fetch the country more support from the ICC.

Danile Gim, Nigerian team’s handler, expressed optimism that his side will secure the world cup ticket.

“We have put in the hard work and I am sure as a team that we are hungry to qualify to the next stage and ultimately return to the World Cup,” Gim said.

The World Cup qualifiers will run from September 30 to October 9.