36
Nigeria’s male senior cricket team, the Yellow Greens, continued their unbeaten run in the 2026 ICC World Cup Africa Sub-Regional Qualifier C, securing their third straight victory with a tense five-wicket win over Eswatini on Tuesday at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.
Eswatini won the toss and chose to bat, setting a challenging total of 137 runs for the loss of seven wickets in their 20 overs.
Despite captain Adil Butt’s valiant performance, where he scored an unbeaten 88 runs off 60 balls, the Nigerian bowlers kept their composure.
Isaac Danladi and Ridwan Abdulkareem spearheaded the attack, each claiming three wickets, ensuring that Eswatini’s innings was limited to a manageable total.
“We had to dig deep,” said captain Steve Tikolo of the Nigerian team.
“Eswatini put up a strong fight, but our bowlers executed the plans well, and we were able to control the game.”
When it was Nigeria’s turn to chase, the batting lineup faltered in the face of Eswatini’s disciplined bowling attack. No player managed to score more than 50 runs, but the Yellow Greens showed resilience.
Minhaz Khojbariya, Mancoba Jele, Melusi Magagula, and Butt each took one wicket for Eswatini, but Nigeria’s pursuit was steady and calculated.
“It wasn’t easy out there, but we stuck to the task and got over the line,” said Tikolo after the match.
“The team showed great character to finish the chase with five wickets in hand.”
The chase was completed in just 15 overs, with Nigeria reaching 138 runs for the loss of five wickets, clinching the win with a 63-minute effort.
With the victory, Nigeria remains unbeaten at the top of the standings with six points, keeping them in a strong position to advance to the final phase of the qualifiers.
Meanwhile, Botswana continued their strong form, following up their impressive 10-wicket victory over Ivory Coast to keep pace with Nigeria at the top of the table.
Sierra Leone also stayed in the hunt for a qualification spot, moving up to four points after a four-wicket win over St. Helena.
Nigeria’s Yellow Greens aim to maintain their perfect record and secure a spot in the final phase of the qualifiers.
