Nigeria clinches six-wicket victory over Sierra Leone as Women’s T20i tournament begins

Nigeria began the competition with a six-wicket triumph against Sierra Leone in the third NCF Women’s T20i Invitational at the Tafawa Balewa Cricket Oval in Lagos while reigning champions Rwanda defeated Ghana by 117 runs.

Nigeria won the toss and opted to field, which sent the Sierra Leonean team to bat first, where they managed 69/5 in 19 overs.

Although the target seemed achievable for Nigeria, they faced early pressure during the power play, losing four wickets.

The Nigerian team depended on the partnership of Peity Lucky and Agatha Uadiale to secure their six-wicket win, scoring 67 runs for four wickets in 14.1 overs.

Blessing Etim, the Nigerian team’s captain, praised her teammates for their performance while promising improvements in upcoming matches.

“Sierra Leone is always a tough side, but I know that my team is very capable of facing any opposition here.

“Although we are not very satisfied with our efforts today, we will go back and work on our lapses and come stronger in our next game against Cameroon,” Etim said.

Sierra Leone’s captain, Fatumata Parkinson, expressed dissatisfaction with the team’s run total but believes her team will improve as the tournament continues.

Piety Lucky of Nigeria was named Player of the Match after scoring 22 runs off 24 balls without being dismissed.

Nigeria’s coach, Leke Oyede, expressed confidence in the team’s ability to improve as the competition progresses, stating, “Yes, there were hitches here and there in the opening match, but the girls delivered. I believe that the players will get better as the game progresses.”