The Junior Female Yellow Greens of Nigeria made history on Monday with a thrilling two-run victory over New Zealand at the 2025 ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in Malaysia, securing their first-ever win in the tournament.
Despite rain delays in Sarawak that pushed the match back by over two hours, the Nigerian team remained determined, ready to shine as play resumed with reduced overs.
New Zealand, opting to field first, sent the Nigerian batters to the crease.
Captain Lucky Piety led the charge, hitting Nigeria’s first six at a Women’s World Cup in a composed innings.
The Junior Yellow Greens wrapped up their innings with a total of 65 runs for the loss of six wickets in 13 overs.
In response, the Nigerian bowlers, led by Sarah Bakhita’s team, maintained a disciplined and calculated approach.
Their efforts paid off as they restricted the fourth-ranked New Zealand team to 63 runs, also for the loss of six wickets, securing the narrow but monumental victory.
Meanwhile, the Junior Female Yellow Greens of Nigeria coach Sarah Bhakita had expressed optimism about the team’s upcoming debut at the ICC Under-19 Women’s Cricket World Cup in Malaysia, bolstered by their strong performances in recent warm-up matches against Pakistan and Scotland.