The Junior Female Yellow-Greens of Nigeria secured a two-run victory over New Zealand at the 2025 ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in Malaysia.
Nigeria U19 women's cricket team wins first-ever match at a global tournament, beating New Zealand by 2 runs. 🇳🇬#AfroBallers #NigeriaCricket #U19WorldCup pic.twitter.com/sT4TKfDh0I
— AfroBallers (@afroballers) January 20, 2025
The team stunned their New Zealander opponents to claim Nigeria’s first-ever win in the tournament on Monday.
The game nearly followed the script of Nigeria’s scheduled first game against Samoa, which was abandoned due to a downpour on Friday.
But the rain only forced a few minutes of delay as the Junior Female Yellow-Greens eventually wrote themselves into history.
New Zealand elected to field first, sending the Nigerian batters into the crease.
But Lucky Piety, Nigerian captain, hit the team’s first six at a Women’s World Cup in a steadied innings, leading her side to finish with 65 runs for the loss of six wickets in 13 overs.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH
— AfroBallers (@afroballers) January 20, 2025
Lucky Piety 🇳🇬
— 18 runs & 1/8 in 3 overs#AfroBallers #LuckyPiety #U19WorldCup pic.twitter.com/snhdwWJqgK
Knowing they had to be superior in their bowling, the Nigerians took the second innings slow and steady and eventually knocked off the fourth-ranked New Zealand for 63 runs for the loss of six wickets.
Speaking after the game, Piety said the ambition to win for Nigeria motivated the victory.
