Nigeria’s Yellow Greens concluded their dominant run at the ICC T20 World Cup Africa Sub-Regional C Qualifiers in Abuja with a resounding 77-run victory over Botswana on Thursday, securing the tournament title with an unbeaten streak.
The match at the twin ovals of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium served as the title decider, with both teams tied on eight points after securing spots in the regional finals set for July 2025.
After winning the toss, Nigeria chose to bat, setting a formidable target of 181 runs for the loss of five wickets in 20 overs. Sulaimon Runsewe and Isaac Danladi led the charge, scoring 74 off 53 balls and 80 off 45 balls, respectively, showcasing their batting prowess.
Botswana, led by captain Karabo Motlhanka, struggled in their chase and managed only 104 runs before being bowled out in 18.2 overs. Nigeria’s Ridwan Abdulkareem, who was named Player of the Match, delivered a stellar bowling performance, claiming six wickets to stifle Botswana’s efforts.
Nigeria finished the series atop the table with a perfect 10 points, followed by Botswana in second place with eight points. Sierra Leone claimed third place with a dominant 112-run victory over Eswatini earlier in the day, while St. Helena and Ivory Coast finished in fifth and sixth positions, respectively.
Nigeria and Botswana will now advance to the regional finals, joining Tanzania, Malawi (from Qualifier A), Zimbabwe, Kenya (from Qualifier B), and Africa’s T20 World Cup representatives, Namibia and Uganda.
The top two teams from the regional finals will qualify alongside South Africa as Africa’s representatives at the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
