Cricket is one of the most popular sports in the world. With its three different formats played on the mainstream, millions of people grew fond of how cricket is played. In this sport, two teams take turns in batting and bowling.
Cricket is a popular choice among punters on online sports betting sites. Fans can place their bets on their favourite teams and players. By betting, fans are made more excited as their bets involve them with the upcoming matches they may be waiting for.
Among the many teams featured in betting sites like sportsbet.io and cricket SRL matches is the Nigeria national cricket team. SRL matches are simulated matches that are products of computer imagery. Since the national team is starting to make waves on the cricket scene, here are some facts you should know about them.
About the team
The Nigeria national cricket team, also known as the Yellow-Green, is the official team that represents the country in international matches. They are under the governance of the Nigeria Cricket Federation which is responsible for their official matches and team lineups. Since 2002, the team was already counted as an associate member of the International Cricket Council.
Team progress
Cricket started to be played in Nigeria in the late 19th century after it was introduced by the British. The sport started to be more organized in the country with two cricket associations between 1932 and 1933.
Nigeria earned its independence in 1960, providing them with more freedom that allowed them to play cricket more. They had annual matches with Sierra Leone and The Gambia in 1964 but the sport declined when football became popular. With the decline in interest and internal problems with the Nigeria Cricket Association, the sport grew even less popular despite continuous tournaments
As the West African Cricket Conference stopped existing in 2002, Nigeria became an associate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC). After their signing, the Nigerian team became a part of the 2002 Africa Cup in Zambia. They finished fourth after having lost against Malawi. They failed to qualify for the 2005 ICC Trophy after having finished 5th in the Africa Cricket Association Championships held in 2004.
They continued with several tournaments until they were granted a full Twenty20 International (T20I) status to all its members. This allowed them to join international matches against other ICC members who share the same status. In 2019, they were also declared as the official replacement of the Zimbabwe team which was barred from any ICC events.
Team achievements
The Nigerian team has joined several ICC events throughout the years. Here are some of the tournaments they joined.
- In 2006, they took part in Division Two of the World Cricket League Africa Region in Tanzania where they finished last.
- In 2007 and 2008, they won the North West Africa Championship.
- In 2008, they played in Division Two of the World Cricket League Africa Region and came in second. This qualified them to the 2009 ICC World Cricket League Division Seven in Botswana.
- In 2011, they finished second in the 2011 ICC World Cricket League Division Six.
- In 2011, they won the 2011 ICC Africa Division Two. This qualified them for 2011 ICC Africa Division One and 2012 ICC World Twenty20.
- In 2018, they were included in the 2018 Africa T20 Cup Tournament.
- In 2019, they played a T20I match against Kenya and finished second in the North-Western sub-region qualification group. This advanced them to the regional finals of the 2018-2019 ICC World Twenty20 Africa Qualifier tournament.
Current squad
Nigeria varies their game by changing their players from time to time. There are 17 players who are part of the team’s recent lineup.
- Joshua Ayannikke – captain, wicketkeeper
- Chimezie Onwuzulike – batsman
- Odion Isesele – batsman
- Prosper Useni – batsman
- Sesan Adedeji – batsman
- Daniel Ajekun – all-rounder
- Vincent Adewoye – all-rounder
- Sulaimon Runsewe – wicketkeeper
- Mohameed Taiwo – bowler
- Mustapha Yussug – bowler
- Peter Aho – bowler
Included on their roster are six bench players.
- Olayinka Elijah – batsman
- Isaac Okpe – all-rounder
- Samuel Mba – wicketkeeper
- Abdulrahman Jimoh – bowler
- Rashed Abolarin – bowler
- Sylvester Okpe – bowler
These are just some of the common facts that sports fans should know about the Nigeria national cricket team. By being more familiar with them, punters can be more confident when betting on both sportsbet.io and cricket SRL matches. With their potential and their impressive performance on the field, more fans will notice their improvements as a team.