W’Cup Qualifier: Yellow Greens Fall To Zimbabwe In Final Warm-Up Clash

W’Cup Qualifier: Yellow Greens Fall To Zimbabwe In Final Warm-Up Clash

Sampson Adedeji

Nigeria’s senior men’s cricket team, the Yellow Greens, ended their preparation for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier with a 47-run loss to Zimbabwe on Wednesday, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Zimbabwe, batting first, set a target of 177 runs for the loss of five wickets in 20 overs. Nigeria, in reply, struggled in the chase and managed 130 runs for nine wickets in their allotted 20 overs.

The result marked Nigeria’s second straight defeat in warm-up matches, though the team showed glimpses of quality both with bat and ball.

With the tune-up games concluded, the Yellow Greens will now turn their attention to the qualifiers proper, opening their campaign against Malawi on Friday at the Takashinga Cricket Club in Harare.

They will also face Namibia on Sunday and Kenya on Tuesday in their remaining Group A fixtures. Group B consists of Uganda, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and Botswana.

The top two sides from each group will advance to the semi-finals. Meanwhile, 15 nations, including South Africa, have already sealed qualification for the 2026 T20 World Cup, scheduled to be staged in India and Sri Lanka between February and March 2026.