Cricket: Teams gear up for 2023 PwC-NCF U-17 Championship
About 1,000 boys and girls took part in the zonal qualifiers and national finals of the
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2022 edition of the event
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The Nigeria Cricket Federation has announced the commencement of entry for their biggest youth event, the PwC-NCF National Under 17 Cricket Championship.
The zonal qualifiers has been set for January 20-30 at different venues across the Country.
Obioma Ubah, Partner and Corporate Responsibility Leader at PwC Nigeria, the title
sponsors of the championship informed that this year 's edition, is expected to be the
biggest in the annals of the event as a result of the firm’s commitment to the
partnership with the host Federation.
“The partnership we have with the Nigeria Cricket Federation, has been very fruitful,
and their engagement of the school-age children has been very phenomenal, which
has resulted in the continual growth of the Championship.
“This aligns with our societal purpose agenda of driving youth engagement and empowerment” She said.
Bigger event
About 1,000 boys and girls took part in the zonal qualifiers, and national finals of the
2022 edition of the event and, more entries are being processed ahead of the
January 20th 2023 qualifiers, which the Organising committee Chairman, Tayo
Sowole, has affirmed.
“The 2023 PwC-NCF National Under 17 National Cricket Championship will surely
reset the standard of the event going forward. First, is that the facilities for this year’s
finals is far better than the previous editions. Secondly, there has been a lot of
groundwork done in the last year across the regions, in terms of developmental
works.” Sowole added.
Sowole, also noted that the event, for the first time, has proved its potential as a
pathway for developmental cricket in Nigeria; as several former participants, were
featured in the country’s senior national team late in 2022.
Ubah also spoke to this; “It is interesting that what we conceived to be a channel to
provide engagement for the teenagers; has gone ahead to achieve that, and even
produced role models, and athletes, who have secured a path for livelihood through
the game of Cricket.”
Sixteen-year-old Piety Lucky, who broke into the Female National Team from her
performance at the second edition of the event, also had a distinguished outing with
the national team last year; registering an immaculate half-a-century at the 2022
Kwibuka Tournament in Rwanda.
The finals of this year’s event have been fixed for February 15-19, 2023, at the
Cricket Oval of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Abuja.
The girls' event, and the Boys' event will run concurrently at the two ovals.
“The event, has also left a history of balanced gender participation across the board,
with 47 percent of the entries in 2022 being from female athletes. The Nigeria Cricket
Federation has pushed the girl-child inclusion agenda in their development project,
and it is evident in the entries.” Sowole added
