The Nigeria Cricket Federation commended improvements in the NCF/PwC U17 Cricket Championship, noting competitive matches, unexpected outcomes, and increased global interest due to Nigeria’s Under 19 World Cup performance. South South emerged as champions in both categories, marking the women’s team’s continuous success and the men’s fifth consecutive title.
The Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) has expressed satisfaction regarding the notable advancements in the quality of the NCF/PwC U17 Cricket Championship. The sixth edition of the tournament, concluded recently in Abuja, witnessed several surprising outcomes and record-setting performances, receiving praise from various stakeholders, particularly the organizers.
Tournament director Musa Ehizoje remarked that the highly competitive nature of this year’s event highlighted the growth of cricket across regions. He noted significant match-ups, such as North Central challenging the five-time champions South South and defeating the former champion North West, alongside North East achieving a 93-run victory against South West in the women’s category.
Ehizoje observed that the previous dominance of teams like South South has diminished, leading to more competitive matches. He indicated confidence that by 2025, surprises could emerge in the finals as other teams rise to challenge South South’s stronghold.
Furthermore, he highlighted the increased global interest in this year’s championship due to Nigeria’s outstanding performance at the Under 19 World Cup in January. With the tournament streamed live, it attracted a wider audience, including previous World Cup players who participated as eligible competitors.
The championship also served as a pool of talent for the Under 19 and senior national teams for both male and female categories. The South South region retained its title in both categories, marking the women’s team as champions since the tournament’s inception and the men’s team achieving their fifth consecutive victory. The competition featured representation from all six geo-political zones of Nigeria.
The NCF’s successful U17 Championship illustrated significant progress in Nigerian cricket, as evidenced by unexpected match results and heightened competitiveness across teams. The growing global interest and participation of former World Cup players signify a bright future for the sport, fostering talent for upcoming national teams. South South’s dominance in both male and female categories remains notable, but the potential for future surprises is promising.
Original Source: nannews.ng
