Nigeria men’s cricket team captain Sylvester Okpe says the team’s aim ahead of the upcoming ICC T20 Sub-Regional Qualifiers is beyond a World Cup ticket, PUNCH the reports
The Yellow Greens have been in camp since the end of October and have whittled down their initial 20-man roster to 14 from the playoffs.
In an interview PUNCHOkpe said the team’s goals remain constant.
He added that reaching the regional finals as well as the World Cup will not only be a win for Nigeria, but will also boost the career of the players.
“It’s about qualifying for the next stage. Not only to improve the ranking, but to get more games as a nation and as a player. So all the players understand that and I’m sure it will be supportive,” said Okpe PUNCH.
Nigeria is currently ranked 43rd in the world in the November T20 rankings with 1482 points.
The training has given the players an opportunity to put their skills to use under new coach and high performance manager Steve Tikolo, who was appointed by the Nigeria Cricket Federation last month.
The Kenyan has been working with national coach Clive Ogbimi and other backroom staff.
Okpe has described the coach’s new dispensation as worthy.
“Well, it’s been very good so far, so much has been done already. All the players are already excited to have him around and look forward to an exciting journey with him,” stated the captain.
After their camp in Nigeria, the Green Yellows will embark on a training tour of Zimbabwe before heading to Rwanda for the regional qualifiers.
The tournament, which will be held from November 28 to December 8, has drawn Nigeria in Group B alongside Tanzania, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, Eswatini, Gambia and Cameroon, with the top 2 teams to progress. the next stage of qualification.
