Captain of Nigeria’s cricket team, Sylvester Okpe, has reaffirmed the Yellow Greens’ ambition to secure one of the two available tickets for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup qualifiers, which begin this week in Zimbabwe.
Nigeria will face a challenging field, including hosts Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda, Namibia, Malawi, Tanzania, and Botswana. With only two spots up for grabs, competition is expected to be fierce. Still, Okpe insists that the team is fully prepared to rise to the occasion.
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“Our target is clear — we want to qualify for the World Cup. We know it won’t be easy, but we have trained hard and are determined to make the country proud,” the skipper said.
The T20 World Cup, scheduled to take place in India and Sri Lanka between February and March 2026, already has 15 teams confirmed, including cricket giants South Africa, Australia, and England. For Nigeria, booking a ticket to the tournament would mark another historic milestone in their fast-growing cricket journey.
Okpe highlighted the progress made in camp, pointing out that the squad is more balanced compared to past years. “We have improved in every department — batting, bowling, and fielding. The players are hungry, and the team spirit is very high,” he noted.
The captain also called for support from fans and the cricket community, stressing that morale is boosted when players know the nation is behind them. “It’s about making history again.
We’ve done it before, and we believe we can do it again,” Okpe said, referencing Nigeria’s qualification for the 2019 U-19 Cricket World Cup.
Nigeria’s first match in the qualifiers will be a crucial test of their credentials. For Okpe, the message is simple: “We are here to fight for the ticket, and we won’t stop until we achieve it.”
