Nigeria shocks host Namibia in opening game

Nigeria’s U-19 national cricket team proved bookmakers wrong by defeating hosts, Namibia with 77 runs in the opening game of the Africa Division 1 ICC U19 Cricket World Cup qualifying series played at the Wanderers Cricket Stadium in Windhoek, Namibia yesterday.

Nigeria won the toss and elected to bat in the encounter.

After the first innings, Nigeria scored a total of 129 runs for the loss of eight wickets after 50 overs with Samuel Mba scoring 25 runs off 90 balls. Miracle Ikaige got 22 runs off 48 nalls (not out) and Emmanuel Boniface 19 runs off 31 balls.

In the second innings, Namibia were bowled out by the Nigerians after scoring a paltry 77 runs as the visitors’ captain, Sylvester Okpe stole the show by winning Man of the Match Award and smashing a bowling statistics of three for 16 in seven overs, while Emmanuel Boniface also contributed with a figure of two for one in 2.1 overs.

Coach of the team, Uthe Ogbimi said the victory was pivotal to their campaign in the World Cup qualifying series and further boosts the players’ confidence in the coming encounters.

“A lot of things are coming together for the team and all the time we spent together in camp is becoming very useful,” he added

The Nigerian team’s final camping was in Zimbabwe where they had a five-match tour with the national team before heading for the weeklong qualifier, which rounds off on Saturday March 23, 2019.

Other teams in the qualifying series include Kenya, Tanzania, Sierra Leone and Uganda. Nigeria’s next match is against Kenya at Trustco United Cricket Pitch in Windhoek.