Nigeria’s U-19 women’s cricket team has punched a historic ticket to the global stage, successfully defending a modest total to defeat Zimbabwe by four runs in a heart-stopping final of the Africa Qualifier Division 1 in Tanzania.
Saturday’s dramatic triumph not only secured the Junior Female Yellow Greens an undefeated run through the tournament but also guaranteed their consecutive qualification for the ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup, following their debut appearance in Malaysia.
Batting first on a challenging pitch, the young Nigerian side struggled to find rhythm against a disciplined Zimbabwean bowling attack, managing a fragile total of just 98 runs. However, what the team lacked with the bat, they more than made up for with a gritty, masterclass bowling and fielding display.
Peace Usen anchored the attack with a stellar performance, dismantling the Zimbabwean top order to finish with impressive figures of 3 for 19 in her four overs. Jennifer Godwin chipped in with two crucial wickets, keeping the run rate under constant pressure.
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Zimbabwe fought back tenaciously, led by Salem Princess Museka’s patient 27 off 32 balls, steering the chase down to the wire. With the tension palpable on the sidelines, the match boiled down to a final-over thriller.
With Zimbabwe needing mere runs with a solitary wicket remaining, bowler Anointed Akhigbe stepped up to seal her legendary status. Having already removed Museka earlier, Akhigbe held her nerve in the 20th over, shattering Vanessa Nyasha Maedza’s stumps on the fifth delivery to bowl out Zimbabwe for 94 in 19.5 overs.
The thrilling victory caps a flawless campaign that saw Nigeria sweep past Uganda, Malawi, Tanzania, and Rwanda. The team will now shift focus to preparations for the 2027 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Bangladesh and Nepal.
