Cricket: Runsewe reflects on Namibia tour

What the report says

The Punch reported that Nigeria cricket captain Sulaimon Runsewe has described the national team’s June trip to the Namibia Tri-Series as a difficult but useful step in the Yellow Greens’ rebuilding process. Nigeria lost all four matches at the tournament, with two defeats apiece against hosts Namibia and Hong Kong, but Runsewe said the tour gave the squad important exposure and highlighted areas needing improvement.

According to the report, the series was Nigeria’s first assignment of the year and also the first under new head coach Stephen Mangongo, the Zimbabwean appointed in May. Runsewe said the team is still relatively new and players are learning to function together on the field. He also pointed to the squad’s effort and character despite the poor results, while acknowledging that “a lot of work” remains.

The Punch said the Yellow Greens have since returned to training at the Tafawa Balewa Square Cricket Oval in Lagos as they prepare for their next international challenge. Nigeria is scheduled to host the ICC Africa Sub-Regional C Qualifier for the 2028 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in October.

That qualifier will feature Nigeria alongside Gambia, Lesotho, Mozambique, Uganda and Zambia. The top two teams will advance to the regional final stage of the qualification pathway for the 2028 T20 World Cup, making the coming months significant for a Nigerian side trying to turn lessons from Namibia into competitive progress.