The Ghanian team for the second time defeated Nigeria at the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Twenty20 Africa Qualifier A, which ended today at the Tafawa Balewa Square Cricket Pitch in Lagos.
The Ghanaian side defeated Nigeria by 6 wickets, having defeated their arch rivals by 7 wickets in their first encounter.
Eugene King, the Team Manager of Ghana, said it was a perfect victory for his team owing to the war of supremacy between both countries in cricket.
King said his national team was able to capitalise on the mistake of their rival to record their second win against Nigeria and top the ICC qualifying event.
“This is a perfect victory for us, winning our second match against Nigeria in this qualifiers is a good boost for the team.
“Nigeria has always had the upper hand against the Ghanaian team in the past but I think the tide has turned in our favour, ” he said.
Meanwhile, Chimezie Onwuzulike, the Captain of team Nigeria, said he was not happy with the outcome of the match.
Onwuzulike said the defeat would not diminish the team’s moral, adding that qualifying for the main Africa qualifiers slated for 2019 was a consolation for the players.
“In every game there must be a winner and loser, the match against Ghana did not end in our favour for the second time in this event.
“We will go back to the drawing board and re-strategise but the good thing is that we have qualified from the North-Western sub-regional zone, ” he said.
Ghana and Nigeria had won the available two slots in the zone to participate in the main Africa qualifiers in 2019.
Ghana finished top of the event with 11 points having played five matches, abandoned a match due to downpour against Sierra Leone on Friday.
Nigeria finished second behind Ghana with 8 points after playing six matches with two defeats, while Sierra Leone occupied the third spot with five points with two wins and three defeats.
Gambia had no point having lost all six matches played.
The qualifiers, which began on April 14, ended today at TBS. (NAN)