Ude shines as Nigeria end Cricket W’Cup in style
Lillian Ude was named Player of The Match for her impressive bowling as Nigeria ended their 2025 ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup campaign in style on Wednesday, beating Ireland by six runs in their last Super 6 game.
Ude posted impressive figures of three wickets for 11 runs with the ball to foil Ireland’s chase of 95, just as Christabel Chukwuonye led a steady innings with the bat for Nigeria.
Ireland won the toss and elected to field first in the game, sending the Nigerian batting order to accumulate the runs with a team effort.
The 18-year-old Ude also contributed a quick-fire 12 runs from 11 balls with the bat at the death, alongside 17 runs each from Peculiar Agboya and Omosigho Eguakun, which proved crucial in taking the game away from Ireland.
Opener Rebecca Lowe led the response with 21 runs for Ireland, but the steady fall of wickets ultimately proved key in earning Nigeria victory in Bangi.
Despite putting Nigeria under pressure in the second innings, Ireland’s steady fall began with an early strike from Peace Usen, bowling opener Alice Walsh for zero with the fourth ball of the innings.
Freya Sargent and Rebecca Lowe steadied the ship after that early blow, forming a partnership of 30 until Ude had Sargent caught behind for 14 in the final ball of the powerplay. She struck again to dismiss Annabel Squires for one, with Amusa taking an impressive catch at backward square leg.
Nigeria continued to take regular wickets to increase the pressure on the Ireland chase, with Lara McBride caught for zero off Adeshola Adekunle and Anointed Akhigbe striking to take the wicket of Abbi Harrison for two. Akhigbe then earned the vital wicket of Lowe for 21 in the same over as Ireland slipped to 54 runs for the loss of six wickets.
Ireland continued to fight and found a key boundary through mid-wicket but was eventually bowled by Amusa as Nigeria sealed a six-run victory.
Player of The Match, Ude, reflected on the game and Nigeria’s run.
“I think I was a little bit nervous at first, but with the help of my teammates, we were able to pull through. I learnt a lot and look forward to more of these tournaments.”
It was Nigeria’s second victory of the tournament, after they also beat New Zealand by two runs at their first-ever ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup, to seal third place in Super Six Group 2.
The win was also enough to seal a top-six finish for Nigeria, guaranteeing direct qualification for the next edition of the tournament in Nepal and Bangladesh by 2027.
