Nigeria’s Junior Yellow Greens lost to Namibia by 10 runs in their opening game of the ICC U-19 World Cup qualifiers. Despite solid bowling performance and a strong start by Rahmon Ali, they could not chase down Namibia’s total. Nigeria will play their next match against Tanzania on Sunday.
The Junior Yellow Greens commenced their campaign for the 2026 ICC U-19 World Cup on a challenging note, facing a defeat against Namibia by 10 runs at the Tafawa Balewa Cricket Oval in Lagos. This match marks the beginning of the final phase of the ICC Africa qualifiers, where Nigeria is hosting five other competing teams for the coveted spot.
Namibia’s Captain, Francois Du Plessis, won the toss and opted to bat first, thus assigning Gafar Kareem and the Nigerian team to take the field. Although Nigeria’s bowling unit performed admirably, with Ukasha Isiyaku leading with five wickets for just five runs, Namibia managed to complete their innings with a total of 133 runs after 47.5 overs, with Max Heingo contributing 22 runs.
In response, the Junior Yellow Greens initiated their batting effort with Rahmon Ali at the forefront. They quickly reached 50 runs in merely 9.4 overs, but their momentum dwindled following Ali’s dismissal in the 14th over where he scored 53 runs off 46 balls. Ultimately, Nigeria concluded their innings at 123 runs after 40.2 overs, handing Namibia their first victory in the qualifiers.
The Junior Yellow Greens are set to compete again on Sunday against Tanzania, while Namibia will face Sierra Leone on Saturday at the UNILAG cricket oval. In a separate match on the same day, Kenya claimed a significant victory over Sierra Leone by a margin of 58 runs.
In summary, Nigeria’s Junior Yellow Greens faced a narrow defeat to Namibia in their first match of the U-19 World Cup qualifiers. Despite strong individual performances from bowlers like Ukasha Isiyaku and a commendable innings by Rahmon Ali, they could not secure a victory. Looking ahead, Nigeria will aim to improve in their upcoming match against Tanzania.
Original Source: punchng.com
