Nigeria Cricket Federation Aims For 2028 World Cup Ticket After Under-19 Impressive Run

President of the Nigeria Cricket Federation, Uyi Akpata, has outlined an ambitious development plan to have a Nigerian female team compete in the 2028 Cricket World Cup.

Recall that the Nigerian female Under-19 cricket team, known as the Junior Female Yellow Greens, made a remarkable debut at the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in Malaysia this January.

They stunned the cricketing world by defeating New Zealand by two runs in the group stage and successfully advancing to the Super 6 stage of the tournament.

This marks the first time Nigeria’s female team has appeared at any cricket World Cup, following the men’s Under-19 team’s participation in the 2019 World Cup in South Africa.

As the girls end their campaign in Malaysia, with an inconsequential match against Ireland on Wednesday, Akpata emphasized that Nigeria’s achievements stem from a dedicated focus and substantial investment in women’s and girls’ cricket.

“Our development plan aimed for progress by 2028, but these talented girls are exceeding our expectations,” Akpata stated via the ICC Media Zone. “This demonstrates that with significant investment, we can achieve results sooner than anticipated.”

He elaborated on the steps taken in the past two years, including high-performance contracts for male and female players, alongside scholarship programs for school-aged players. This holistic approach fosters a supportive ecosystem for cricket development and attracts interest from across the community.

“Despite not advancing beyond the second round [at the under-19 World Cup], we are incredibly proud of these achievements,” Akpata remarked.

“There’s an infectious excitement among fans, visible on digital platforms and social media, with many setting their alarms for early morning matches.

“The growing interest is encouraging, and our aspirations have certainly evolved. We are achieving these milestones three years ahead of schedule.”