Ebonyi State has recorded a major sporting achievement after emerging champions in the female category of the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) National U-17 South-East Zonal Qualifiers, securing qualification for the national finals.
The South-East qualifying matches were held at Government Secondary School, Owerri, Imo State, bringing together young cricket talents from across the region.
Ebonyi’s female team delivered an outstanding performance throughout the competition, finishing ahead of Anambra State, which placed second, while Abia State secured third position.
The victory confirms Ebonyi’s growing presence in youth cricket development and strengthens the state’s chances at the upcoming national championship.
In the male category, Imo State claimed the top position, while Ebonyi State finished second after a competitive campaign. Anambra State completed the podium in third place.
Despite narrowly missing the top spot, Ebonyi’s male team earned qualification and demonstrated strong potential ahead of the national tournament.
The zonal qualifiers form part of the nationwide selection process for the Nigeria Cricket Federation National U-17 Championship, regarded as the biggest grassroots cricket competition in Nigeria and West Africa.
While the South-East and South-West rounds have concluded, qualifiers are ongoing in other regions, including Kaduna (North-West), Adamawa (North-East), Edo (South-South), and Abuja (North-Central).
The qualification series will run until March 1, after which selected players from all 36 states will compete at the national finals scheduled to hold in Abuja.
The Nigeria Cricket Federation described the U-17 Championship as a critical pathway for discovering and nurturing future national team players.
According to the federation, a large percentage of Nigeria’s senior male and female cricket teams previously emerged from the competition, while all current national U-19 players are products of the same developmental structure.
The tournament has also produced players who represented Nigeria at the recent ICC Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup in Malaysia.
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