Nigeria wrapped up their U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2025 campaign with a thrilling six-run victory over Ireland on the final day of the Super Six stage in Kuala Lumpur.
The win secured Nigeria third place in Super Six Group 2, finishing just behind England, while Ireland ended at the bottom of the group.
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After losing the toss and being sent in to bat, Nigeria had a rocky start, losing key batter Victory Igbinedion in the first over. The early collapse left them struggling at 18/3 inside five overs, putting pressure on the middle order.
However, Christabel Chukwuonye stepped up, scoring 25 off 42 balls with three boundaries, anchoring Nigeria’s innings.
She found some support from Omosigho Eguakun (17 off 23), while Peculiar Agboya (17 off 20) and captain Lucky Piety (12 off 11) provided crucial lower-order contributions. Their efforts helped Nigeria recover from 21/4 to post a competitive total of 94/7 in 20 overs.
Ireland’s Kia McCartney was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with 2/13 in four overs, while Millie Spence and Niamh MacNulty also chipped in with wickets to keep Nigeria in check.
Ireland looked comfortable in their chase early on despite losing a wicket in the first over. Freya Sargent and Rebecca Lowe put together a steady partnership, guiding their team to 30/2 by the end of the powerplay. However, Nigeria’s bowlers kept fighting, refusing to let Ireland take full control of the match.
The turning point came in the eighth over, when Lillian Ude (3/11 in four overs) triggered a dramatic collapse. Ireland lost four wickets for just 14 runs, shifting the momentum firmly in Nigeria’s favor.
Seamer Anointed Akhigbe played a crucial role in the 12th over, dismissing Ireland’s top-scorer Rebecca Lowe (21 off 32). From there, Ireland struggled to recover, with another four-wicket collapse for 14 runs sealing their fate.
Despite some late resistance from Millie Spence and Kia McCartney, Nigeria held their nerve, bowling out Ireland for 88 in 18.4 overs to claim a six-run victory.
For her all-round contribution, including a crucial 12 off 11 with the bat and match-winning bowling figures of 3/11, Lillian Ude was named Player of the Match.
With this victory, Nigeria ended their tournament just one point behind England, who advanced to the semi-finals. Ireland, on the other hand, finished at the bottom of the group, exiting the competition with just one win.
