Under-19 Cricket World Cup Qualifiers: successive losses dim Nigeria’s chances

By Olaolu Joseph

Nigeria suffered a second consecutive defeat on Sunday in the ongoing Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifiers at the Tafawa Balewa Oval in Lagos.

The Junior Yellow Greens fell to Tanzania by 122 runs, following an opening-day loss to Namibia.

Nigeria started strong by dismissing danger-man Karim Kiseto early, but young talent Darpan Jobanputra stepped up with an impressive One Day International (ODI) batting performance that won over both his parents and Nigerian fans.

Captain Ankit Bakrania (44 runs), Jobanputra (32), and Mohamedi Simba (19) led Tanzania’s batting lineup to a total of 154 runs.

In the second innings, Nigerian supporters placed their hopes on Ali Rahmon to turn the game around, but his early errors and dismissal dashed expectations.

Some analysts attributed Nigeria’s poor performance to indiscipline among the players, while others criticized the dominance of the T20 format in local cricket competitions, arguing that it has weakened the team’s adaptability in longer formats.

The qualifiers will take a break on Monday before resuming the next day, with Nigeria set to face Kenya.

The Nigerian team currently sits at the bottom of the six-nation zonal qualifiers, with only the overall winner securing a spot at the 2026 Under-19 Cricket World Cup.