Nigeria triumph over Rwanda to defend title at NCF Pitch, Abuja.

Yellow Greens Retain West Africa Trophy

Nigeria’s Yellow Greens retained the West Africa Trophy in commanding fashion, overcoming Rwanda by 40 runs in the final at the NCF Pitch, Abuja. The victory mirrored their success at the inaugural tournament in Lagos in 2023, where they also triumphed over Rwanda to lift the crown. Led by former Kenya international Steve Tikolo, Nigeria dominated the competition, winning nine of their ten matches, with only a single group-stage defeat to Rwanda by 23 runs.

In the final, Nigeria won the toss and opted to bat, a decision that paid off handsomely. Sylvester Okpe led from the front with an unbeaten 35 off 22 balls, supported by skipper Sulaimon Runsewe, who struck 34 from 26 deliveries. Selim Salau contributed 25 runs and Danladi Isaac added 14, while Vincent Adewoye chipped in with 21. Extras added 13 runs, helping Nigeria post a competitive 153/5 in 20 overs.

Rwanda’s chase started positively, with Didier Ndikubwimana top-scoring with 33 and Khan Hamza adding 27. However, they were unable to forge any substantial partnerships as Nigeria’s disciplined bowling and sharp fielding kept them in check. Ndubudem David, Isaac Okpe, and Joshua Asia claimed key wickets, restricting the Rwandans and preventing momentum. Ultimately, Rwanda were bowled out for 117/9, falling 40 runs short, as Nigeria successfully defended their West Africa Trophy title.