Nigeria’s cricket team has continued its impressive run in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Sub-Regional Qualifier C, defeating Lesotho by seven wickets after a dominant bowling performance led by Chima Akachukwu.
The match, played at the Nigeria Cricket Federation Oval 2 in Abuja, saw Nigeria dismantle Lesotho’s batting line-up, bowling them out for just 62 runs in 12.5 overs. Akachukwu was the standout performer, taking four wickets for 14 runs in 3.5 overs. Elochukwu Ndubudem also made a valuable contribution with two wickets for just four runs in two overs.
Lesotho struggled to build a competitive total, with captain Tsepiso Chaoana scoring 26 runs off 18 balls. His effort, which included three fours and a six, was not enough to prevent his side from being dismissed cheaply.
Nigeria’s chase was not entirely smooth. The hosts lost three wickets for just 12 runs, briefly giving Lesotho hope of an upset. However, Ridwan Abdulkareem and Miracle Akhigbe steadied the innings and guided Nigeria to 65 for three in only 7.4 overs.
Abdulkareem finished unbeaten on 28 from 18 balls, while Akhigbe contributed an unbeaten 26 off 25 deliveries to complete the victory.
The result marked Nigeria’s fourth win in the competition, following earlier victories over The Gambia, Zambia and Mozambique. Nigeria and Uganda have both secured qualification for the 2027 Africa regional final, but their final group encounter offers another opportunity to finish strongly.
For Nigerian cricket fans, the team’s performance is encouraging. The bowlers have shown they can restrict opponents, while the batting line-up has demonstrated the ability to recover after early setbacks.
Nigeria will now turn its attention to Uganda, with the aim of maintaining its momentum and finishing the qualifying campaign on a high.
