Nigeria Women Secure Historic First-Ever U19 World Cup Win Against New Zealand

On January 20, 2025, the Nigeria woman' Cricket Team did something really big! They won their very first game in the major Under-19 tournament by beating New Zealand by just two runs. It was very thrilling and close. The game was at the Borneo Cricket Ground in Sarawak but it rained, so they only played for 13 overs instead of the whole match.This win is very important for the Nigeria woman!

After winning the toss and opting to bat, Nigeria managed to post a modest total of 65 runs in their allotted 13 overs. Captain Piety Lucky and Lillian Udeh were the only batters to reach double figures, scoring 18 and 19 runs respectively. The Nigerian innings saw just four boundaries and a solitary six, highlighting the challenging conditions for the batters. Despite the low target, the team remained hopeful of defending the score.

A historic first #U19WorldCup win for Nigeria 👏

📝: https://t.co/VdlPdINwlE pic.twitter.com/gJmwfLsHER

— ICC (@ICC) January 20, 2025

Nigeria's Remarkable Bowling Effort

The team from New Zealand didn't start their game very well. They lost two players very quickly, just when they scored seven runs, and the game had only just started. The players who hit the ball had a hard time because the players from Nigeria were blew the ball very skillfully and they were careful not to make mistakes. Even though some New Zealand players named Eve Wolland, Anika Todd, and their Captain Tash Wakelin tried to work well together, the team still couldn't start many runs. Captain Piety Lucky played a pivotal role in Nigeria's defense, delivering an all-round performance. She not only contributed valuable runs with the bat but also dismissed Eve Wolland, conceding just eight runs in her three-over spell. As the match reached its climax, New Zealand needed nine runs in the final over.

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Skipper Piety Lucky was at the heart of Nigeria's first-ever victory in #U19WorldCup history 🤩

She wins the @aramco POTM award 🎖️ pic.twitter.com/ofjHvOKarp

— ICC (@ICC) January 20, 2025

Player of the Match

Piety Lucky was deservedly named Player of the Match for her stellar all-round display. Her composed innings of 18 runs and economical bowling spell played a crucial role in Nigeria's victory.

A Historic Upset for  U19 New Zealand Team

Lillian Udeh was very courageous in the last part of the game, and only let the other team get no runs from the bat . Miss Udeh made sure that the team from Nigeria won for the first time, and it was unbelievably thrilling. The team from New Zealand tried hard but only got 63 runs and lost 2 runs before the trade ended after 13 Over. At the very end, it was extremely exciting because Tash Wakelin understood right when the last play happened, and that made the players from Nigeria extremely happy, and they started cheering and being joyful.

This win is considered one of the biggest upsets in the history of women's cricket, as Nigeria, an associate nation, toppled a full-member team like New Zealand. The victory has sent waves of excitement across Nigerian cricket, showcasing the potential and resilience of the young team. Nigeria's triumph in the U19 Women's T20 World Cup will serve as an inspiration for emerging cricketing nations and highlight the growing competitiveness of the sport at the global level.

Nepal’s U19 off-spinner, Subhash Bhandari, was found in violation of the ICC Code of Conduct during the U19 World Cup clash against Pakistan at Buffalo Park in East London on January 24. The breach occurred in the 14th over of Pakistan’s innings when Bhandari threw the ball toward batsman Shahzaib Khan, hitting him on the forearm. Bhandari’s actions were deemed a breach of Article 2.9 of the ICC Code of Conduct, involving the inappropriate and/or dangerous throwing of a ball at or near a player during an international match.

The charges were put by the onfield umpires Phil Gillespie and Bongani Jele, TV umpire Forster Mutizwa and fourth umpire, K.N. Ananthapadmanabhan. While this was a level breach of conduct, that carries a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, and a maximum of 50 percent of the match fees. One or two demerit points are also added to the disciplinary record of the player.

Subhash Bhandari was reprimanded for breaching the level one breach of conduct and also one demerit point was added to his disciplinary record. Bhandari performed the offense for the first time in 24 months. Bhandari accepted his mistake and admitted that he had committed an offense. He also accepted the sanction that was put on him by the onfield umpire Graeme Labrooy.

Subhash Bhandari Faces ICC Code of Conduct Violation: Nepal Cricket Player Found Guilty

Batting first against the Pakistan U19 team, Nepal U19 managed to score 197 runs. Opener Bipin Rawal top-scored with 39 runs from 68 balls, while Captain Dev Khanal contributed 23 runs from 37 balls, and Subhash Bhandari was the third-highest scorer with 20 runs from 24 balls. Despite various batsmen getting starts, none were able to convert them into substantial scores, with most getting out after scoring 15 to 20 runs.

Pakistan utilized seven bowlers, with Arafat Minhas being the most successful, claiming 3 wickets, and Ubaid Shah and Ahmad Hasaan taking 2 wickets each. Khubaid Khalil, Mohammad Zeeshan, and Ali Asfand picked up 1 wicket each.

In the chase, Pakistan U19 had a decent start as openers Sharmyl Hussain and Shazaib Khan added 80 runs for the first wicket. Both openers were dismissed after scoring 37 runs each. Arafaf Minhas contributed 8 runs before being removed, while captain Saad Baig scored a duck. Azan Awais remained unbeaten with 63 runs from 82 balls, guiding Pakistan U19 to victory.

Pakistan secured a 5-wicket victory, placing them at the top of Group D, while Nepal currently holds the 3rd spot with one win out of three games. In their upcoming match, Pakistan will face New Zealand, with both teams aiming to maintain their unbeaten streak in the group stage.

See also:Tanmay Agrawal makes a significant statement about surpassing Brian Lara’s 501-run innings with the fastest first-class triple hundred.