Nigeria’s men’s senior cricket team, the Yellow Greens, will kick off their campaign in the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup Sub-Regional Qualifier C against St. Helena on Saturday at 1:50 pm. The match will take place at the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) Oval 2, located within the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.
Nigeria is one of three host nations for the qualifiers, with the first two rounds held earlier this year in Tanzania and Kenya. As the highest-ranked team in the tournament, sitting at 36th on the ICC T20 rankings, the Yellow Greens are favorites to lead the charge for qualification.
The day’s action begins with Eswatini facing Botswana at 9:00 am on NCF Oval 1. Simultaneously with Nigeria’s opener, Sierra Leone will take on Ivory Coast in a second-round match.
The top two teams from each sub-regional qualifier will advance to the final qualification phase, where two African nations will earn a spot alongside South Africa at the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup.
The Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) expressed optimism about the team’s chances. “As the host nation and the highest-ranked team, Nigeria is ready to lead the charge with home support and an unyielding determination to dominate,” the NCF stated.
Head coach and high-performance manager Steve Tikolo emphasized the team’s ambitions, saying, “It’s not just about qualifying for the next round but winning the tournament and becoming champions. From there, we prepare for the next stage.”
Following Saturday’s opener, the Yellow Greens will face Eswatini on Monday, Sierra Leone on Tuesday, and conclude their group stage matches against Botswana on Wednesday.
