Nigeria’s Women’s Cricket Team Steps Up World Cup Qualifier Prep with Zimbabwe, South African Coaches

Head coach of Nigeria’s senior women’s cricket team, Leke Oyede, is currently working alongside two Zimbabwean coaches as the squad prepares for the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifiers, set to hold in Namibia from August 28 to September 7, according to PUNCH Sports Extra.

The Female Yellow Greens are holding an intensive closed training camp in Lagos, with a South African coach expected to join the team shortly to further bolster technical support.

The team initially began its preparations last month in Benin City, Edo State, with 22 players in camp. Ahead of the Lagos phase, four players were dropped, leaving 18 contenders vying for a final squad of 15 players.

“We currently have 18 players in camp, and the target is to select 15 for the qualifiers,” Oyede told NCF media on Thursday. “The sessions have been intense, and we’ve had strong support from two coaches from Zimbabwe, with another from South Africa joining us soon. The main focus is on sharpening the girls’ skills and boosting their readiness for top-level competition.”

Oyede added that the team would play several test matches to improve game awareness and maintain a competitive mindset ahead of the qualifiers.

“There’s a lot of positive energy around the team, and that’s very encouraging from a coaching standpoint,” he said.

At the Africa Qualifiers, Nigeria will compete against Zimbabwe, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone. The top two teams from the tournament will secure spots in the global qualifiers scheduled for later in the year.

The 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup is set to be held in England.