TheCable

The Yellow-Green, Nigeria’s male cricket team, has lined up series of T20 matches with their Sierra Leonian counterparts as part of build-up matches ahead of the cricket World Cup qualifiers in November.

Uyi Akpata, president of the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF), said the bilateral series with Sierra Leone is an essential part of the team’s World Cup plans.

“The African Regional T20 World Cup Qualifying Series in Rwanda later in November is a major event for us and the build-up to the event has been going on steadily. From October 19, the preparation would enter a new phase with the rest that would be played,” he said.

Akpata said the national team has been in series of close camps, including a training tour of Uganda last August that has kept the team busy ahead of next month.

Nigeria has a new look team that is largely drawn from the 2020 ICC under-19 World Cup representatives, one which Asanka Gurusinha, the current head coach, has worked with since the national men’s championship earlier in the year.

The World Cup-winning coach said the national team has shown signs of future success with its youthfulness presenting opportunities for growth and introduction of new thoughts and ideologies.

“Nigeria has a number of interesting cricket talents that I believe with time can rival the best on the continent and make statements on global platforms, but there is need for patience with the team and I am particularly pleased with the long-term vision of the Nigeria Cricket Federation,” Ashanka said.

The bilateral series with Sierra Leone will run from October 19 to 26 while all matches are scheduled for the University of Lagos (UNILAG) cricket oval.