TheCable

Nigeria’s U-19 cricket team arrived in Lagos on Sunday after featuring in the country’s maiden World Cup outing in South Africa.

Yahaya Ukwenya, president of Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF), said the team lived up to the federation’s plan after beating Japan by 8 wickets in Saturday’s playoff game.

“Our goal at the World Cup was to consolidate our developmental plans and it did work. We had useful collaboration with Cricket South Africa; arguably Africa’s best in the sport, and we hope to build on it going forward,” Ukwenya said.

“All the players were exposed to different levels of trainings and topmost level of competition. These are all assets to the nation and what we definitely would leverage on as we build other teams.”

Going to the World Cup, the team, led by the Sylvester Okpe, rose from African division 2 to pick the sole world cup ticket in the African division 1.

At the world cup against the best cricketing nations, however, Nigeria fell to the more experienced teams including Australia, West Indies, England, United Arab Emirates, and Sri Linka prior to its singular win against Japan.

“We are very proud for what we have achieved,” said Uyi Akpata, NCF’s vice-president.

“Our goal is developmental and this team would form the crux of the senior national team and all the investment and experiences they have been exposed to would serve the nation.”

The federation would host the world cup team soon at the Tafawa Balewa Square Cricket Oval in Lagos, where stakeholders are expected to interact with the players and officials.