The Nigeria women’s national cricket team has made a significant leap in the latest International Criminal Court T20 rankings, moving up four spots from 28th to 24th globally and securing the sixth position in Africa.
According to The PUNCH, this improvement in ranking reflects the recent successes of both the senior and junior teams.
While the women’s senior team last competed in June, their ranking was further boosted by the U-19 women’s team’s outstanding performance at the ICC T20 Women’s World Cup Africa Qualifier, held in Kigali, Rwanda.
At the tournament, the Nigerian team secured a spot in the 2025 World Cup, a remarkable achievement that contributed to the ranking shift.
Earlier in 2024, following their bronze-medal win at the African Games in Ghana, the Nigerian women’s team was placed 26th in the world rankings.
The Nigeria Cricket Federation clarified that the ICC evaluates the performance of all national teams over a specified period, not just the senior squad, for its rankings.
South Africa continues to lead the African continent, although they have dropped one place globally, from fifth to sixth.
Zimbabwe ranks 14th in the world, followed by Namibia at 17th, Uganda at 18th, Tanzania at 19th, and Rwanda, just behind Nigeria, in 26th.
Kenya is ranked 28th, while Botswana, Sierra Leone, and Malawi occupy the 44th, 45th, and 54th positions, respectively.
On the global stage, Australia holds the top spot in the T20 format, maintaining a narrow lead over England and India.
As for Nigeria’s men’s team, their ranking remains unchanged at 36th in the world and seventh in Africa.
In the men’s rankings, India continues to dominate, ahead of both Australia and the West Indies.
This rise in the rankings signals a bright future for Nigerian cricket, with both the women’s and men’s teams steadily making their mark on the international stage.
