ABUJA, January 21, 2025 - The final group C match involving South Africa and Nigeria at the ongoing ICC Under 19 Women’s World Cup is a fight between unequals. It is a clash between the elite and the underdog, albeit the tournament in Malaysia revealing that there are rarely underdogs in cricket after Nigeria upset giants New Zealand while USA outclassed powerhouse Ireland.
South Africa hosted the maiden edition of the tournament in 2023 and was only able to reach the Super Six stage, but that was enough for them to secure automatic qualification to Malaysia 2025.
On the other hand, Nigeria had to 'weather the storm', conquering seven teams in the Africa Qualifiers, including Zimbabwe, to secure a spot at the World Cup in September last year.
BATTLE FOR GROUP WINNER Both teams - the top two in Group C - will go into the contest at the Borneo Cricket Ground Sarawak on Wednesday morning, to determine the winner of the group.
The favourites South Africa enjoyed emphatic victories over Samoa and New Zealand in their first two games. They made a light work of Samoa in a 10-wicket victory while they claimed a 22-run win against New Zealand in a reduced 11 over per side fixture.
Nigeria's Junior Yellow Greens endured a nerve-wrecking fight to secure a win over New Zealand in a 13-over match after their first game against Samoa was washed out.
EXPERIENCE Both teams have a good number of players who took part in the African Games last year where South Africa and Nigeria faced off on 10 March 2024 in Ghana. Of South Africa’s 15-player squad at the 2025 World Cup, seven were listed at the previous edition in 2023 while five of the seven were at the African Games. Meanwhile Nigeria’s team in Malaysia has eight players that were in Ghana. This goes to say that both sides are not ignorant of each other’s antics.
Although, South Africa Emerging finished secured the silver medal while Nigeria settled for bronze at the Games, what comes to mind is the group game against both sides.
Leg spinner Seshnie Naidu’s 4/13 and all-rounder Kayla Reyneke’s 3/12 rattled Nigeria’s batting lineup to ensure the West Africans were 74 all out with eight balls to spare. In the defence, pace bowler Lilian Ude rose to the occasion with 5/18 but it was not enough to halt a four-wicket win for the South Africans.
STARS IN THE MAKING The aforementioned players are some of the players to look out for when South Africa take on Nigeria in Malaysia. Naidu has progressed to featuring for the Proteas Women, making a debut in the series against Pakistan ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 in UAE. Naidu was also included in the World Cup squad but did not feature in any match.
Naidu alongside wicketkeeper Karabo Meso would bring senior team experience to the U19 squad as they are the only two capped players in the lineup in Malaysia.
Captain Reyneke is the leading wicket-taker for her side with four in the tournament, closely supported by Nthabiseng Nini’s 3/4 against Samoa on Monday.
Nigeria will need to be wary of these bowling outfit if they hope to finish top of the group.
But then, Nigeria’s skill with the ball has also been a strong point.
The likes of Ude, who finished as the best bowler at the Games in Ghana with 8 wickets, also contributed to Nigeria’s qualification to the World Cup in Rwanda. She held her nerves, while bowling the last over in the win against New Zealand on Monday.
NIGERIA'S POSTER GIRL All-rounder captain Lucky Piety. She is widely regarded as the poster-girl of cricket women’s grassroot development in the country.
At age 14, she became the first Nigerian female to score a century in a T20 game. She showed tha her performance was no fluke when she scored a century in the ICC Africa U19 Qualifiers in 2022 in Botswana.
In the bronze medal match in Ghana, Piety heaved back-to-back boundaries against very experienced Uganda’s Rita Musamali, in that nail-bitting encounter to secure the bronze medal for the country.
Piety was Player of the Match in Nigeria’s World Cup debut win against New Zealand. She scored Nigeria’s first six and contributed with the ball as well.
After earning a cap with the senior team in 2021, she has improved in skill, talent and leadership qualities.
One player to also watch out for is 15-year-old Peace Usen. She is widely regarded as the new kid on the block but her spin can unsettle any batter.
Usen made her debut at the African Games in 2024, with her first ball against Tanzania dismissing big hitter Saum Mtae. She went on to become player of the match in Nigeria’s famous win against Namibia, earning five wickets in the tournament.
She was handed the ball as Nigeria’s opening bowler in the game against New Zealand, exposing her level of confidence and skill.
There are incredible talents in the lineup of both teams but these few, bringing their `A’ game on the day, could upset their opponents.
South Africa maintained the same group of players that recently featured against Ireland, as well as India U19 A and B, in the recent Youth T20 International series.
Nigeria also retained its squad from the Africa qualifiers in September with the side training at the high performance centers in Lagos and Edo States before traveling for a tour of India ahead of the World Cup.
The game on Wednesday would certainly be of grit, determination and team spirit.
South Africa's Squad: Kayla Reyneke (captain), Jemma Botha, Fay Cowling, Jae-Leigh Filander, Mona-Lisa Legodi, Simoné Lourens, Karabo Meso, Seshnie Naidu, Nthabiseng Nini, Luyanda Nzuza, Diara Ramlakan, Diedré van Rensburg, Mieke van Voorst, Ashleigh van Wyk, Chanel Venter
Nigeria's squad: Adekunle Adeshola, Agboya Peculiar, Akhigbe Anointed, Amusa Kehinde, Bassey Deborah (wicket keeper), Bieni Jessica, Chukwuonye Christabel, Eguakun Omosigho, Igbinedion Victory, Piety Lucky (Captain), Noami Memeh, Beauty Oguai, Lilian Ude, Peace Usen, Inyene Umoh
