Nigeria has made history by defeating New Zealand in the Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup.
Photo: Photosport
Nigeria Triumphs Over New Zealand in Women’s U19 T20 World Cup
In a remarkable turn of events at the Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup taking place in Malaysia, Nigeria celebrated a historic victory against New Zealand. This match marked Nigeria’s first-ever win in their inaugural appearance at the U19 T20 World Cup, a significant milestone for the team.
The match, impacted by rain, saw Nigeria making 65 runs for six wickets in just 13 overs. As the young Nigerian team reveled in their achievement, New Zealand struggled to chase down the target.
New Zealand’s innings started on a challenging note with Kate Irwin run out on the very first ball of their innings, followed closely by the dismissal of opener Emma McLeod in the third over. The pressure mounted as New Zealand found themselves needing 17 runs off the final two overs to secure a win.
Despite a late effort, including a boundary by captain Tash Wakelin off the last ball of the penultimate over that added eight runs, New Zealand faced an uphill battle. They entered the last over requiring nine runs but ultimately fell short, losing the match by a mere two runs.
Wakelin contributed 18 runs to the team, while Anika Todd led the scoring with a total of 19 runs. This defeat followed a previous loss to South Africa, also affected by weather conditions.
With the group stage continuing, New Zealand finds itself in a crucial position; in order to advance to the playoffs, they must secure a victory over Samoa in their next match. Meanwhile, South Africa currently leads Group C after overpowering Samoa by 10 wickets in a recent game.
Samoa faced a tough challenge, managing only 16 runs in 9.1 overs, as South Africa’s Nthabiseng Nini exhibited phenomenal bowling figures of three wickets for four runs off two overs. South Africa achieved their victory in just 1.4 overs, showcasing their dominance in the tournament.
The path ahead for the New Zealand U19 women’s team is clear; they must rally together and bring their best game to ensure they progress further in this highly competitive championship.
