Nigeria crashed out of the men’s cricket event of the ongoing African Games in Ghana on Wednesday after a 10-wicket loss against Zimbabwe in their last group game at the Achimota Cricket Oval.
Needing to put the runs on the board and get the chance to increase their net run rate, the Yellow Greens opted to bat after captain Sylvester Okpe won the toss.
However, Zimbabwe’s test quality showed in the first innings as they restricted Nigeria to 88 runs for the loss of nine wickets in 17.4 overs.
Nigeria’s innings was not emphatic, as the wickets fell at intervals with none of the batters able to make 20 runs. Vincent Adewoye was the closest to that mark with his 19 runs from 15 balls not out.
Zimbabwe didn’t blink in the second innings as opening batters Rooney Mupfudza and Tadiwanashe Marumani wielded their bats powerfully and were not bowled out by the Nigerian bowlers.
Mupfudza had 39 runs off 54 balls while Marumani scored 47 runs from 44 balls to see off the game for Zimbabwe with 91 runs for the loss of no wickets in 16 overs.
Zimbabwe qualified for the semi-finals with an impeccable six points from three wins, and they were joined in the last four by Namibia, who won just one game, just like Nigeria, but advanced on net run rate.
Namibia’s only win was their seven-wicket triumph over Tanzania in their last game on Wednesday.
Zimbabwe will face Group A runners up Kenya in the first semi-finals on Thursday (today) while Namibia will try Group A winners Uganda for size on the same day.
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