The Junior Yellow Greens began their quest for a 2026 ICC U-19 World Cup ticket on a disappointing note, falling to Namibia by 10 runs in their opening match at the Tafawa Balewa Cricket Oval in Lagos on Friday.
Nigeria is hosting the final phase of the ICC Africa qualifiers, where six teams are vying for the sole ticket to the global tournament.
Namibia’s captain, Francois Du Plessis, won the toss and elected to bat first, sending Nigeria’s Gafar Kareem-led side into the field. Despite Nigeria’s disciplined bowling attack, Namibia built their innings steadily, reaching just 50 runs after 16 overs.
Ukasha Isiyaku led Nigeria’s bowling efforts, taking an impressive five wickets for five runs, while Azeez Warees contributed three wickets. However, Namibia managed to post a total of 133/10 in 47.5 overs.
Max Heingo was Namibia’s top scorer, recording 22 runs off 20 balls.
