Nigeria’s national cricket team, the YellowGreens, began their campaign in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Sub-Regional Africa Qualifier C sensationally on Tuesday, securing a monumental 160-run victory over Gambia at NCF Oval 2 inside the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
Winning the toss and electing to bat first, the hosts put on a batting masterclass that left the opposition spellbound. The Nigerian side piled up an imposing total of 262/1 in their allotted 20 overs, displaying remarkable control and aggression on home soil.
The centrepiece of the first-innings onslaught was Selim Salau, whose sublime form lit up the grounds. Salau anchored the innings with an unbeaten, career-defining century, smashing 105 runs off just 58 balls to give the YellowGreens an unassailable platform.
Faced with a daunting target of 263, the Gambian batting lineup struggled to cope with the disciplined and relentless home bowling attack. They were eventually bundled out for 102 runs in 17.2 overs.
For his breathtaking, record-breaking century, Selim Salau was rightly named the Player of The Match.
This comprehensive opening win hands the YellowGreens a massive net run-rate boost and the ideal momentum as they push forward in their quest to secure qualification from the regional series.
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