Nigeria clinch West Africa Trophy with 10-match winning streak

Nigeria won the West Africa Trophy 2023 after maintaining a clean slate in the tournament, winning all nine of their matches and then beating Rwanda by 17 runs in the final.

Four teams competed in the T20 tournament, which was played across 20 matches, including the final. Each team played the other thrice following which there was a final.

Besides Nigeria and Rwanda, Ghana and Sierra Leone also participated in the competition which was held in the Nigerian capital city of Lagos.

While host Nigeria won all their nine matches, finishing on 18 points, Rwanda and Ghana notched eight points each for their four wins in nine games. Rwanda finished second on points table because of better net run rate of 0.591. Ghana ended third with -1.260.

Sierra Leone could score just a solitary win, in their last game over Ghana, to return with just two points and end in the last position on the points table. However, Sierra Leone thumped Ghana by six wickets to finish third in the third-place play-off.   

The Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) tweeted after victory, “NCF 2023/2024 Season opens with Victory at the West Africa Trophy.”

Throughout the tournament, the Nigerian team showed remarkable consistency.

They beat Rwanda by 54 runs (127/8 against 73 all-out) on October 4; by six wickets (101/4 in 16.2 overs against 95/9) on October 7; and by eight wickets (27/2 in 6.1 overs against 24 all out) on October 14. 

Nigeria also defeated Sierra Leone by 63 runs (155/6 against 92 all out) on October 5; by nine wickets (50/1 in 7.1 overs against 49) on October 8; and by 53 runs (106 all out against 53 all out) on October 12.

The Nigerian Eagles also overpowered Ghana by 35 runs (129 all out against 94 all out) on October 6; by 82 runs (142/6 against 60 all out) on October 10; and by five wickets (110/5 in 18.1 overs against 109/9) on October 11.  

In the final on October 15, Nigeria (103/7) prevailed over Rwanda (86/8) by 17 runs. Isaac Danladi scored 44 while Ridwan Abdulkareem hit 39 for Nigeria. Off-spinner Joshua Asia took 3/9 also for the winners.

Sulaimon Runsewe of Nigeria finished as the top-scorer with 229 runs at an average of 28.62 while teammate and right-arm pacer Isaac Okpe was the top wicket-taker with 17 scalps at an average of 6.11.

All the matches had T20 International status.

Cricket, Africa, T20I, T20, Nigeria, Rwanda, Ghana, Sierra Leone