Top officials of Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) have revealed delight at the country’s opportunity of hosting Rwanda’s female national team in a week-long tour in Abuja, sports247.ng gathered.
NCF president, Professor Adams Yahaya Ukwenya and vice-president, Uyi Akpata echoed that the tour, which will run till January 30th, is the first iof its kind Nigeria will have the pleasure of hosting.
Ukwenya added that the epochal development is a major achievement for Nigeria and a pointer that the strides being made by the federation are being noticed across the continent.
He further disclosed that the tour, which will hold at the new wicket pitch of Abuja National Stadium, is the first leg of bilateral ties between both countries, with the return leg scheduled for June in Kigali.
Ukwenya said: “The relationship we have with Rwandan Cricket is the first of its kind for Nigerian cricket and it is mutually beneficial.
“We are looking forward to extending it in all ramifications, by exploring different ways we can leverage to grow the game; on the field, including technical and the management capacities for both federations.
“We also hope the effect would impact the growth of the game across the continent.”
On his part, Akpata, stressed that the Rwandan Tour provides Nigeria’s female team the opportunity to be tested ahead of their busy schedule.
To add credibility to the encounter, Akpata said the NCF have invited technical officials from Ghana Cricket Association, which has already acknowledged and confirmed their availability for the Series.
He said the Rwandan Tour of Nigeria will see the visiting team take on the home side in a six-match series, which will consist of two ODI 40 overs matches and three T-20 games.
Akpata disclosed that, in preparation for the Tour, the Nigerian team has been camped in Kaduna State for three weeks, and the players will jostle for slots in the squad to engage the Rwandan team in six encounters.
“We had 24 players camped in Kaduna with the full technical team to train, select and possibly inject newness in the national female team that we are preparing for major events later in the course of the year.
“Most of the players presently in camp are drawn from the National Youth Games for under-15, the national under-17 girl’s championship and that National Women’s Championship across the country,” he said.
