Nigeria’s Junior YellowGreens have renewed their pursuit of a spot in the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup following a decisive five-wicket victory over Ghana. The match, held at the Gahanga Oval, saw Nigeria bounce back after an initial defeat to Uganda.
The team is now preparing to face tournament hosts Rwanda on Wednesday, 12 August 2026, before subsequent matches against Mozambique and Sierra Leone. These upcoming fixtures are anticipated to further test Nigeria’s qualification prospects.
Dominant Performance Against Ghana
In their recent encounter, Ghana, after winning the toss and opting to bat first, struggled against a persistent Nigerian bowling attack. Kenneth Boniface was a key player, taking four wickets for 33 runs from eight overs. Precious Ayeni also contributed significantly with two wickets for nine runs from eight overs, while Princewill Chigozie secured one wicket for nine runs from 10 overs. Okasha Isiyaku, Pelumi Orimolade, and Daniel Ayodele shared the remaining wickets, leading to Ghana being bowled out for 93 runs in 39.5 overs. David Ateak was Ghana’s top scorer with 26 runs.
Chasing 94 for victory, Nigeria faced some resistance, reaching 56 for four and later 77 for five. However, the Junior YellowGreens maintained their composure. Kenneth Boniface once again played a crucial role, remaining unbeaten with 30 runs from 32 balls, including four fours and a six. Support came from Andrew Abah, who scored 20 runs from 42 deliveries, and Peculiar Egemasi, who added 17 runs from 17 balls. Nigeria successfully reached 96 for five in 22.2 overs, securing a five-wicket win with more than 27 overs remaining.
Following the match, Nigeria Captain Ali Rahmon acknowledged the team’s bowling performance but highlighted areas for improvement in batting. He noted that while the bowlers did well to restrict Ghana, the batting unit lost too many wickets in pursuit of 94 runs.
Reflecting on the Opening Match
Nigeria’s campaign began with a five-wicket defeat to Uganda at Gahanga 2. In that match, Nigeria batted first and faced early pressure, losing wickets consistently. Kenneth Boniface delivered a notable innings, scoring 97 runs off 107 balls, which included nine fours and six sixes. He was supported by Okasha Isiyaku, who scored 34 runs off 81 deliveries, helping Nigeria post a total of 176 all out in 45 overs.
In defending their total, Nigeria’s bowlers worked hard. Pelumi Orimolade took two wickets for 24 runs, with Abdullahi Ismail, Princewill Chigozie, and Okasha Isiyaku each securing a wicket. However, Uganda successfully chased the target, reaching 178 for five in 38.2 overs, driven by Samuel Ahaisibwe‘s 72 runs.
The victory against Ghana demonstrated a more balanced performance from Nigeria, combining disciplined bowling with controlled batting under pressure. Kenneth Boniface has emerged as a key performer for Nigeria, accumulating 127 runs and taking four wickets across the first two matches. Other players like Ayeni, Chigozie, Isiyaku, Orimolade, Abah, and Egemasi have also made valuable contributions to the team’s efforts.
The Junior YellowGreens will aim to build on their recent success as they continue their quest for a place in the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, with their next match scheduled against Rwanda.
Source: thisdaylive.com