By Joel Ajayi

Captains of participating teams have expressed confidence in their sides’ readiness for a fierce contest as the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Sub-Regional Africa Qualifier C begins on Tuesday in Abuja.

The October 20 to 25 tournaments will feature six countries — Nigeria, Uganda, Gambia, Lesotho, Mozambique and Zambia — competing for the top two places to advance to the Africa Finals of the qualification process for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

Speaking at the pre-tournament press conference, Nigeria captain Akachukwu Chima said the hosts were determined to capitalise on home advantage and win the competition.

“We have been training hard, working hard and playing a lot of series. The boys are motivated, and our goal is to win it,” Chima said.

He added that familiarity with the venue and its playing conditions would give Nigeria an advantage, noting that the team had trained at the ground for several months.

Uganda captain Riazat Ali Shah, however, said his team was equally determined to secure qualification after missing out on the previous World Cup following a defeat in Zimbabwe.

He described the Abuja competition as crucial to Uganda’s ambitions, stressing that the short T20 format demanded consistency and discipline.

“We missed our last World Cup because of our loss in Zimbabwe, but we are here now, and this is a very important tournament for us to qualify for the World Cup,” Shah said.

He acknowledged Nigeria’s home advantage but warned that all participating teams deserved respect, particularly Zambia, given its cricketing pedigree.

Gambia captain Bubacam Kiyateh also expressed confidence in his team’s readiness, thanking Nigeria and the International Cricket Council (ICC) for hosting the tournament.

“The game in Gambia has been strong, but we do not want that to distract us as players. We are ready for this competition, and we are here to compete,” he said.

Similarly, Lesotho captain Tsepiso Chiaoana said his team would combine youth and experience to challenge their opponents, adding that promising young players had been given opportunities to showcase their abilities.

“We have a combination of young and experienced players. We have given some youngsters a chance to show what they can do and demonstrate their potential for the future,” he said.

With the participating teams targeting the next stage of qualification, the six-day tournament promises intense competition as Nigeria seeks to leverage home advantage while Uganda, Gambia, Lesotho, Mozambique and Zambia pursue their respective ambitions.

Speaking also, he International Cricket Council’s Africa Regional Manager, Justin Ligyalingi commended the steady growth of cricket across Africa, attributing the continent’s improving performances on the global stage to sustained development programmes and investment in high-performance facilities.

An ICC representative gave the commendation while speaking at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Sub-Regional Africa Qualifier C in Abuja, where six countries are competing for two places in next year’s Africa Finals.

He stated that the Abuja tournament is the third and final group of the sub-regional qualifying phase, with the top two teams advancing to the Africa Finals, from which further qualification opportunities for the next World Cup will be determined.

According to the representative, 20 African member nations participated in this year’s qualifying series, divided into three groups. The first two groups have concluded, with their leading teams already securing places in the Africa Finals.

ICC Representative noted that countries such as Namibia, Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda have recorded encouraging progress, reflecting the impact of investment and development initiatives across the region.

Share on Facebook

Tweet

Follow us

Share

Share

Share

Share

Share