The Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) has officially confirmed the return of the Women’s T20I Invitational Tournament, with Nigeria’s Female Yellow Greens hosting four visiting teams.
The competition will be staged at the Tafawa Balewa Cricket Oval, and the high-intensity regional contest will take place in Lagos from March 18 to 29.
Nigeria’s Female Yellow Greens claimed their first-ever title in 2023, before Tanzania dethroned them in 2024. Rwanda previously lifted the trophy in 2022.
Five Teams Confirmed as Tournament Expands
This year’s edition has been expanded to five teams, indicating the growing stature of the tournament on the African women’s cricket calendar.
Joining Nigeria in Lagos are:
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Ghana Women’s Cricket Team
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Sierra Leone Women’s Cricket Team
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Rwanda Women’s Cricket Team
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South Africa U-19 Women’s Cricket Team
Ghana last featured in the tournament in 2023, while Rwanda and Sierra Leone return for back-to-back appearances.
The South Africa U-19 women’s team will be making their tournament debut.
High-Performance Platform for Female Yellow Greens
The NCF has reiterated that the competition will serve as a high-performance platform for Nigeria’s women’s national team ahead of major international engagements.
“The tournament is expected to attract strong regional competition while providing valuable match exposure for elite and emerging female players ahead of key international engagements,” the federation said in a statement.
The tournament originally began as a bilateral series with Rwanda, but was not held in 2024 due to the federation’s congested calendar.
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NCF Also Gears Up for National U-17 Championship
In addition to the invitational tournament, the Nigeria Cricket Federation is also preparing for the seventh edition of the National U-17 Championship for both boys and girls.
The National U-17 Championship has played a crucial role in identifying emerging talents, with several graduates progressing to represent Nigeria at major events, including the ICC Women’s U-19 T20 World Cup in Malaysia.
Zonal qualifiers will run from February 10 to 23 across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
“The zonal qualifiers form a vital part of Nigeria’s cricket development pathway, providing young players with a structured platform to test their skills against peers from other states,” the NCF stated.
“For many participants, the championship represents a first opportunity to compete in a high-pressure, multi-state environment while gaining valuable exposure and experience.”
