24 players jostle for Nigeria squad ahead T20i tourney

In preparation for the 2026 Nigeria Cricket Federation Women’s Invitational Tournament, 24 players are currently training at the high-performance centre located in Benin City, Edo State, competing for positions in the national squad for the championship.

Following a one-year hiatus, the tournament is set to return for its fifth edition at the Tafawa Balewa Square Cricket Oval in Lagos, scheduled from March 18 to 29.

The training camp includes eight players aiming for their inaugural appearance with the Female Yellow Greens, while the other 16 are seasoned players who have represented the team since at least 2022.

They will be contending for 14 positions in the traveling squad to Lagos.

This year, the tournament has been expanded to include five nations, featuring the host country Nigeria, along with Ghana, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and the South Africa U-19 Women’s team, which will be participating for the first time in this competition.

Since its establishment as a bilateral series between Nigeria and Rwanda, the tournament has significantly increased in global recognition, competitive quality, and developmental impact, solidifying Nigeria’s status as a prominent hub for women’s cricket in Africa.

Participating teams are expected to arrive in Lagos on March 18, with matches commencing shortly thereafter and continuing throughout the tournament period, culminating in the final fixtures and official departures on March 29, 2026.

In addition to the competitive matches, the tournament will also host youth cricket clinics and stakeholder engagement initiatives aimed at enhancing grassroots participation and broadening the commercial landscape of cricket in Nigeria.

The Female Yellow Greens claimed the tournament title for the first time in 2023, only to lose it to Tanzania in 2024, while Rwanda last secured the championship in 2022.