Nigeria’s Junior Female Yellow Greens are gearing up to make their debut at the second edition of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s U-19 Cricket World Cup, scheduled to take place in Malaysia from January 18 to February 2.
Nigeria, along with hosts Malaysia, Nepal, and Samoa, will be making their first-ever appearance at the tournament.
The Junior Female Yellow Greens secured Africa’s sole ticket from the qualifying series in September 2024.
The 16-team tournament will feature four pools of four teams each, with each team playing the other three teams in their group. The top 12 teams will advance to the Super 6 stage, while the bottom four teams will play off to determine the standings from 13th to 16th.
Nigeria is drawn in Group C alongside South Africa, New Zealand, and Samoa.
The team, led by Sarah Bakhita, is currently undergoing their second phase of preparations in Lagos before heading to India for a 10-day training camp ahead of the World Cup.
The tournament will be played across four venues in Malaysia, with the UKM-YSD Cricket Oval in Bangi hosting Group C fixtures.
Reigning champions India, as well as England, Australia, and New Zealand, who made the top four in 2023, are expected to be among the top contenders.
Nigeria’s historic debut at the ICC Women’s U-19 Cricket World Cup marks a significant milestone for the country’s cricket development program.
