Nigeria has officially qualified for the 2027 ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup, set to be co-hosted by Bangladesh and Nepal, after clinching a thrilling four-run victory against Zimbabwe in the Africa Qualifier Division-1 final. The win secures Nigeria’s place as the representative for the African continent in the upcoming global tournament.
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Nigeria posted a total of 98 runs in their allotted 20 overs. Captain Christabel Chukwuonye led the scoring with 21 runs, supported by Beauty Oguai with 19 and Jessica Bayeni with 15. For Zimbabwe, bowler Christine Mutasa was the standout performer, claiming two wickets.
Chasing a target of 99, Zimbabwe struggled against a disciplined Nigerian bowling attack. Despite notable contributions from Salome Museka (27), Bethel Jinyama (21), and Nicole Nika (18), the team was bowled out for 94 runs in 19.5 overs. Ussen Peace spearheaded the Nigerian bowling effort with three wickets, while Jennifer Godwin and Anointed Akhigbe each contributed two wickets to seal the win.
In other matches during the tournament, Uganda secured third place by defeating Rwanda by seven wickets. Tanzania finished fifth after a 29-run victory over Kenya, and Namibia claimed seventh place following a nine-wicket win against Malawi.
