Nigeria stun New Zealand to set tournament alight

January 20, 2025
7:35 pm

Nigeria stunned New Zealand to post their maiden victory at the Women’s Under-19 World Cup. This was their first completed game in their maiden Under-19 World Cup appearance after their first match was washed out on Saturday.

In a rain-affected game reduced to 13 overs a side, Nigeria scored 65 for 6 with contributions from captain Piety Lucky and Lilian Udeh. The chase started with New Zealand losing their opener Kate Irwin first ball to a run-out. Emma McLeod, the other opener, departed in the third over off the right-arm seamer Usen Peace’s bowling. New Zealand kept losing wickets in the middle overs and were 49 for 5 at the end of 11 overs.

With 17 needed, the penultimate over fetched New Zealand eight runs with captain Tash Wakelin hitting a four off the last ball of the over. New Zealand needed nine off the final over but only managed only six runs off Udeh, as Nigeria sealed a thrilling two-run triumph.

Anika Todd and Wakelin made 19 and 18 respectively but that wasn’t enough for New Zealand.

The win briefly put Nigeria on top of the table in Group C, for them to move down to second after South Africa demolished Samoa in Kuching later in the day.

Fast bowler Nthabiseng Nini led the bowling effort as Samoa were cleaned up for just 16 in 9.1 overs. No Samoa batter made more than 3, while there were five ducks as South Africa’s bowlers ran amok.

Openers Simone Lourens and Jemma Botha took just ten balls to make it two wins in two games for South Africa.

Having lost the toss, Bangladesh slumped to 91 for 9 in 20 overs, with Afia Ashima top-scoring with 29 at No.7. Left-arm seamer Eleanor Larosa took two wickets in her first over to reduce Bangladesh to 18 for 3, and Caoimhe Bray and Tegan Williamson also picked up two wickets each.

Williamson was also needed at No. 10 in the chase, after Bangladesh offspinner Jannatul Maoua and some poor running between the wickets triggered Australia’s collapse from 50 for 1 to 86 for 8. But captain Lucy Hamilton’s 30 and Ella Briscoe’s 11 off 22 balls sealed a two-wicket win in Bangi.

In Johor, fast bowler Isani Vaghela‘s 3 for 10 and offspinner Ritu Singh‘s 2 for 8 rattled Ireland as USA got off to a strong start in the Women’s Under-19 World Cup. Their first match against Pakistan was abandoned due to rain.

After opting to bat, Ireland were all out for 75 in off 17.4 overs with Chetnaa Prasad, Aditiba Chudasama also chipping in with a couple of wickets each. USA chased down the target in 9.4 overs with opener Disha Dhingra top-scoring with 46 off 33. Dhingra smashed five fours and two sixes and put on 75-run stand with Chetna Pagydyala, who remained unbeaten on 23 not out. USA moved to the top of Group B with their eight-wicket win.

England also started their campaign with a convincing win over Pakistan in Johor. England’s first game had also been washed out.

Seam-bowling allrounder Amu Surenkuma struck with consecutive deliveries in the fifth over, and then picked up another wicket in the seventh to leave Pakistan flailing at 27 for 3. Allrounder Olivia Brinsden, offspinner Eve O’Neill and left-arm spinner Tilly Corteen-Coleman then took two wickets each to skittle Pakistan out for 66. Only three batters made it to double-figures, with No. 4 Zoofishan Ayyaz’s 15 the highest score for Pakistan.

Then, despite being reduced to 19 for 3, England completed the chase with ease, with captain Aby Norgrove and wicketkeeper Katie Jones sealing a six-wicket win with more than 10 overs to spare. While Norgrove made an unbeaten 14 off 9 balls, Jones made 20 off 16, and hit the only six of the match to complete the victory.

In Bangi, Scotland pulled off a thrilling one-wicket win against Nepal to get off the bottom of the Group D table. Reduced to 58 for 9 chasing 74, it looked like Scotland would slump to two defeats in two after the nine-wicket drubbing at the hands of Australia.

But Gabriella Fontenla and Kirsty McColl, Scotland’s No.s 9 and 11 held their nerve to get the 16 runs Scotland needed for the win.

Nepal had won the toss and opted to bat, but were reduced to 47 for 4. Then, right-arm quick Maisie Maceira took over proceedings, finishing with figures of 5 for 15 as Nepal were skittled for 73.

Scotland saw three of their top five run out as Nepal made sure they were under pressure in their chase. Wicketkeeper and Scotland’s No. 3 Pippa Sproul made a 47-ball 35 to hold the innings together, but when she fell in the 17th over to leave Nepal one wicket away, it looked like the game had slipped out of Scotland’s reach, only for Fontenla and McColl to dash Nepal’s hopes.