Coach Leke Oyede has expressed optimism as Nigeria’s U-19 female cricket team gears up for the 2025 International Cricket Council Women’s U-19 World Cup qualifiers scheduled to take place in Rwanda this August.

The team commenced its training camp in Ibadan last week, this initial phase of preparation will be followed by intensive training at the high-performance center in Benin City throughout the month of May.

With approximately 48 players currently in the squad, the coaching staff will select 18 players in the final squad to represent Nigeria.

Oyede spoke the importance of rigorous preparation and selection processes to ensure the team is well-equipped to compete at the international level.

“We have started training in earnest and the camping will go on till around July. The Ibadan camp has just closed and we will be proceeding to Benin next. Around that July, the girls will either finalise their preparations with an intensive training camp in Lagos or a training tour outside Nigeria,” the Coach explained.

The qualifiers presents an opportunity for Nigeria’s young female cricketers to build on the historic bronze medal they won at the just concluded African Games in Ghana, and secure qualification for the Women’s U-19 World Cup.