The Nigeria Cricket Federation has said the T-20I Bilateral series between the National Men’s Cricket Team, Yellow-Greens and the Sierra Leonian national team, starting on Tuesday, October 19, 2021, at the University of Lagos Cricket Oval, is part of the Federation’s elite cricket development plan.
Speaking at the Press Conference in Lagos on Monday ahead of the first of the 6 series of matches scheduled in the tie, Femi Solebo, the Local Organising Committee Chairman of the Series and Board Member of the N.C.F, said the Federation plans to keep the national team in good shape and primed for international encounters, citing a new strategic way of operation by the newly elected Board.
“The games against Sierra Leone have historical and developmental relevance to all that we do. We intend to keep the national teams busy while expanding our development agendas. This particular encounter will help us prime our players for the forthcoming T-20 World Cup Qualifiers. But among other things will also help us size up the options we have for the national team, keeping in mind the huge investments at grassroots and age-grade cricket development’’, He said.
The new board of the Nigeria Cricket Federation led by Uyi Akpata which was voted in three weeks ago had set a target of 250, 000 new recruitments into the game yearly through an expansive development campaign that is driven on the school system and that will provide the bedrock for development in both Boys and Girls category.
Nigeria’s Head Coach and High-Performance Manager, Asanka Gurursinha said the national team is ready for the Series and there has been changes made since the last Tri-Series tournament in Uganda last month.
“The Nigerian team is a fairly young side and has been growing and getting better with every game they play together. Exposing them to more international matches like this would put them to test and hone them for better performance. I believe this Series will do that for the team. This series is very important for both teams as they prepare for the ICC T20 World cup qualifier in November, so we expect a very competitive series’’ Asanka said.
Nigeria will take on the Sierra Leone team back-to-back from Tuesday, October 19 to Thursday 21 daily at the UNILAG Cricket Oval, before their first break on Friday, October 22nd, three other matches are scheduled before their departure on 27th.
The Nigerian team will be taking part in the International Cricket Council’s T-20I World Cup Qualifier for Africa, in Rwanda, later in November 2021.
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