Dikko, Olopade hail Nigeria U19 cricket team heroics at T20 World Cup

By Olaolu Joseph

The leadership of the National Sports Commission (NSC) has commended the Nigeria U19 Cricket Team for their historic achievement at the ICC U19 T20 Cricket World Cup in Malaysia.

The Nigerian team defied pre-tournament predictions and expectations with their impressive performance, securing a place in the competition’s Super Six stage.

The Nigerian girls also earned an automatic qualification for the next U19 Cricket World Cup after shocking the cricket world with victories over giants like New Zealand and a hard-fought win against Ireland in their final game.

The NSC Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko, described their performance as a monumental achievement worthy of appreciation and celebration.

“These girls have given our country another moment of global recognition with their achievements in Malaysia. Many people often think Nigeria excels only in a few sports like football, but our U19 team has showcased another dimension of our sporting potential. Qualifying for Nigeria’s first-ever Cricket World Cup and performing remarkably well is a testament to our growing capabilities.”

“As a commission, this is why we believe in the continuous development of every sport from the grassroots through the Renewed Hope Initiatives for Nigeria Sports Economy (RHINSE) campaign.”

“Our focus now is to build on this momentum from the World Cup and support the Nigeria Cricket Federation in discovering more grassroots talents for the sustainable growth of the sport,” he concluded.

In addition, the Director General of the National Sports Commission, Hon. Bukola Olopade, praised the U19 Cricket Team for exemplifying the Sports Commission’s vision of transforming sports development under its current leadership.

“What we saw from these girls in Malaysia reinforces the new dawn that Mr. President has ushered into Nigerian sports with the establishment of the Sports Commission. We are excited that every sport is now aligning with this vision.”

“We are not letting their achievements in Malaysia go unnoticed, which is why we have made arrangements for them to be properly welcomed back when they return to the country on Friday in Lagos,” he added.

Nigeria finished the tournament as the fifth-best U19 cricket team in the world, an outstanding feat for a debutant at the competition.