Victory Igbenedion has been named the Best Batter of the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier, playing a crucial role in Nigeria’s remarkable qualification journey. Across the tournament, Igbenedion displayed consistency and power, accumulating 177 runs in 5 innings at an outstanding average of 59.00 and a strike rate of 99.44.
Her journey began with a strong start in the opening match against Tanzania, where she scored 24 runs off 20 balls, setting the tone for Nigeria’s campaign. However, she faced a brief setback in the second game against Zimbabwe, managing only 5 runs off 7 balls. Undeterred, Igbenedion bounced back in style in the third group match against Malawi, anchoring the innings with an unbeaten 66 runs off 72 balls. Her most impressive performance came in the semifinal against Rwanda, where she delivered another unbeaten knock of 59 runs off 61 balls, guiding Nigeria to the final. In the final match against Zimbabwe, she added 23 runs off 18 balls, capping off a stellar individual performance.
Igbenedion’s contributions were vital in Nigeria’s unbeaten run, securing their spot in the 2025 ICC U19 Women’s World Cup in Malaysia.
Other notable performances in Nigeria’s squad include Lilian Ude, who ranked 3rd on the bowling log with 10 wickets, and Anointed Akhigbe and Peace Usen, who secured 7 wickets each, placing them 6th and 7th respectively. Peculiar Agboya also made her mark, finishing 9th on the fielders’ log with 4 dismissals, further demonstrating the strength and balance of the team.
