From Akanimo Kufre, Abuja
Nigeria’s Yellow Greens maintained their unbeaten run and booked a place in the decisive showdown against Uganda after captain Chima Akachukwu inspired a commanding seven-wicket victory over Lesotho in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Sub-Regional Qualifier C on Saturday.
Akachukwu led from the front with a devastating bowling performance, claiming four wickets to earn Player of the Match honours as Nigeria bowled Lesotho out for 62 runs in 12.5 overs before cruising to 65 for three wickets to seal victory.
The result confirmed Nigeria’s qualification for the next stage of the World Cup qualification pathway, with the Yellow Greens finishing top of the standings on eight points, ahead of Uganda, who also accumulated eight points but recorded an inferior net run rate.
Lesotho won the toss and elected to bat first but struggled to establish a competitive total against Nigeria’s disciplined bowling attack. Akachukwu’s impressive spell proved decisive as the Southern African side lost wickets at regular intervals and were dismissed for 62, leaving Nigeria with a modest target to chase.
Nigeria made light work of the run chase, reaching 65 for three wickets to complete the seven-wicket victory and strengthen their position ahead of Sunday’s highly anticipated encounter with Uganda.
Akachukwu described the victory as an important milestone for the team, insisting that their ambition to compete on the global stage continued to drive their performances.
“Today’s victory registered us for the next level of qualification. It also prepared us for the anticipated final against Uganda. Our mindset is clear: to win everything. For me, leading this beautiful team means everything,” the Nigerian captain said.
Despite the convincing win, Akachukwu acknowledged that Uganda would present a tougher challenge in Sunday’s showdown, with both teams seeking to finish the competition on a high after securing their places in the next phase of the qualification campaign.
Lesotho captain Chaoana Tsepiso admitted that his side had underestimated Nigeria and failed to execute its plans effectively. He maintained, however, that Lesotho’s bowling strength could have made the contest more difficult had they approached the match differently. “Today’s game was good and challenging, but I think we took it too lightly against Nigerians. Our approach was not enough. We had a plan for our bowling attack because we are a strong bowling team,” Tsepiso said.
Looking ahead to Sunday’s clash, Tsepiso predicted a closely contested encounter, describing the contest as a 50-50 affair while suggesting Uganda could have an advantage if they batted first. With Nigeria’s unbeaten momentum and Uganda’s determination to challenge for supremacy, the showdown promises to be a stern test for the Yellow Greens as they continue their pursuit of a place at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
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