The weather had the final say in one of Wednesday’s fixtures, but there was no shortage of cricketing drama at the TBS Cricket Oval as the Nigeria T20 Quadrangular Series entered its third day.
Nigeria A continued their impressive run through the competition, defeating Ghana by eight wickets in Match 6, while the eagerly anticipated meeting between Nigeria and Sierra Leone was washed out, resulting in the two sides sharing the points.
The outcome leaves Nigeria A firmly at the top of the standings with a perfect six points from three matches, while Nigeria and Sierra Leone sit level on three points apiece. Ghana remain without a point after three matches. The official standings card dated September 23 records Nigeria A with three wins from three, Nigeria with one win, one no-result and one loss, and Sierra Leone with the same record.
The day began with anticipation surrounding the clash between Nigeria and Sierra Leone, but the weather intervened before the two sides could complete their scheduled contest.
With the match washed out, Nigeria and Sierra Leone shared the points, adding one point to each team’s tally.
The result keeps the qualification picture finely balanced behind Nigeria A, with both Nigeria and Sierra Leone now on three points after three matches.
For Nigeria, the abandoned fixture represents a missed opportunity to add another victory to their campaign, while Sierra Leone leave the day with a valuable point as the league phase moves toward its decisive stages.
If rain brought one match to an early conclusion, there was no such uncertainty in the day’s completed encounter.
Nigeria A won the toss against Ghana and elected to field, a decision that their bowlers quickly justified.
Ghana struggled to find rhythm against a disciplined Nigeria A attack and were bowled out for just 65 in 17.3 overs.
Captain Obed Harvey top-scored for Ghana with 11, while Baaleri R Jamal and Philip Yevugah also made 11 each. But wickets fell at regular intervals, preventing Ghana from building any meaningful partnership.
The Nigeria A bowling unit shared the work effectively.
Captain Taiwo Mohammed produced a superb spell of 2 for 5 from three overs, while Ndubudem Elochukwu David conceded just five runs from his three overs and claimed a wicket. Mustapha Yussuff finished as the leading wicket-taker with 3 for 22, while Kareem Gafar and Okpe Sylvester claimed one wicket apiece.
Ghana’s 65 was therefore never likely to present an imposing target, but Nigeria A still needed to negotiate their chase professionally.
They did exactly that.
Nigeria A lost Elijah Saturday Jimmy for 14 and Ajekun Daniel for nine, but there was little alarm.
Sesan Adedeji steadied the innings with an unbeaten 11, while Olaleye Olayinka Elijah produced the day’s most eye-catching batting performance.
Olaleye smashed an unbeaten 31 from just 19 balls, hitting three sixes at a strike rate of 163.16. His assault ensured that the chase never became complicated.
Nigeria A reached 66 for two in 11.5 overs, completing an emphatic eight-wicket victory with plenty of deliveries to spare.
The victory was Nigeria A’s third consecutive win of the tournament and further strengthened their position at the summit of the standings
At the close of Day Three, the standings paint a picture of a tournament beginning to enter its decisive phase.
| Pos. | Team | MP | W | NR | L | Pts | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nigeria A | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1.718 |
| 2 | Nigeria | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0.765 |
| 3 | Sierra Leone | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -0.601 |
| 4 | Ghana | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | -1.728 |
Standings as shown on the September 23 tournament graphic.
Nigeria A’s perfect record has put them in command, while Nigeria and Sierra Leone remain locked together on three points. Ghana, meanwhile, face a difficult task after three defeats.
Day Three was a reminder that tournament cricket is not decided by the bat and ball alone. Rain denied Nigeria and Sierra Leone the chance to settle their contest on the field, but the points were shared nonetheless.
At the other end of the day, Nigeria A continued to make every opportunity count, dismissing Ghana for 65 before completing their chase inside 12 overs.
Three matches have now been played by each side, and the numbers tell their own story: Nigeria A are unbeaten and perfect; Nigeria and Sierra Leone remain within touching distance; Ghana are searching for their first points.
With the tournament entering its final stretch, every run, every wicket and every point will carry increasing weight.