Nigeria’s senior men’s cricket team will face a demanding challenge as they host five African rivals in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Sub-Regional Africa Qualifier C in Abuja from October 18 to 26.
The competition will feature Nigeria, Uganda, Zambia, Lesotho, Mozambique and The Gambia in a round-robin format, with only the top two teams advancing to the 2027 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier.
Chima Akachukwu will captain Nigeria for the first time after a lengthy absence from the team. He will be supported by experienced players Peter Aho, Isaac Danladi, Elochukwu Ndubudem, Miracle Akhigbe, Sylvester Okpe and Selim Salau.
Young talents Ali Rahmon, Abdullahi Ismail and Kenneth Boniface are also included in the squad alongside Isaac Okpe, Abdulmumuni Mohammed, Kareem Ridwan and Vincent Adewoye.
The tournament presents another opportunity for Nigeria to build on recent progress in age-grade cricket. The country’s under-19 men have secured promotion to Division One, while the under-19 women have qualified for the ICC Women’s Under-19 World Cup for a second consecutive appearance.
“We set a goal to get into the World Cup, and it starts now. This is a stepping stone for us to get to the World Cup stage,” Isaac Okpe said.
Nigeria Cricket Federation President Uyi Akpata described the competition as an important platform for cricket development across Africa, while commending the Federal Government, the National Sports Commission and other supporters.
Uganda, who featured at the 2024 T20 World Cup, are among the leading contenders. Zambia, Mozambique, Lesotho and The Gambia will also be seeking qualification.
Nigeria begin their campaign against The Gambia on October 20 before facing Zambia, Mozambique, Lesotho and Uganda.
The matches will be played at Abuja’s twin cricket ovals, with fans able to follow the action live on ICC.tv.
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