The Nigeria Women’s National Cricket team are not just making a flying start to life as a sports team but their future radiates with so much potential and promise.
Having been a member of the International Cricket Council since 2002, Nigeria made its international debut at the 2011 ICC Africa Women’s T20 Tournament in Uganda.
They endured defeat in their first game against Kenya, against whom they fell by ten wickets before grabbing a victory against Sierra Leone in their second game by six wickets. They went on to lose other games against Namibia, Tanzania and Uganda, finishing fifth among the six teams.
Upon being granted full Women’s T20 International status alongside other members in April 2018, all T20 matches played between Nigeria women and another international side since 1 July 2018 have been full Women’s T20 invitationals.
The team has recorded a winning Twenty20 International debut in a five-game series against Rwanda they won 3-2. Nigeria were named in the 2021 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier regional group, alongside ten other teams, by the ICC in December 2020.
Blessing Etim (the captain of the side), Kehinde Abdulquadri, Taiwo Abdulquadri, Omonye Asika, George Chinyenum, Mary Desmond, Joy Efosa, Abigail Igbobie, Miracle Imimole, Piety Lucky, Agatha Obulor, Racheal Samson, Esther Sandy and Salome Sunday make up the 15 players that represented the team for the qualifiers and a number of these players have been a mainstay ever since.
The team faces a huge weekend ahead as they battle West African neighbours Ghana on Friday and have the chance to inflict another defeat on Rwanda on Saturday at the ongoing Nigeria invitational Women’s T20i.
