Nigeria’s senior men’s cricket team, the Yellow Greens, will begin their title defense against Zambia in the opening match of the 2025 West Africa Trophy, set to commence in Abuja on Thursday, December 4.
The tournament marks the second edition of the regional competition, returning two years after Nigeria claimed an unbeaten inaugural victory in Lagos, sealing the championship with a tense 18-run win over Rwanda.
The Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) has positioned this year’s tournament as a significant step in cementing cricket’s rise within West Africa.
Rwanda and Sierra Leone, both familiar foes from the maiden editionare slated to return, while Zambia enters the competition for the first time, replacing Ghana. All four sides will play one another three times in a demanding round-robin structure, before the top two teams advance to the final in what the NCF describes as a test of endurance, strategy, and regional sporting camaraderie.
The Yellow Greens arrive in Abuja with ambitions beyond defending their crown. Their campaign follows a bruising disappointment at the African qualifiers in Zimbabwe, where Nigeria’s hopes of a first-ever appearance at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup ended with a seven-wicket loss to Kenya in their final group match.
Abuja, hosting the event for the first time, offers an energetic stage for Nigeria to reassert its authority in regional cricket, test new combinations, and rebuild confidence ahead of future ICC challenges.
For the Yellow Greens’ opponents, the Trophy presents an equally valuable platform, an opportunity to disrupt the reigning champions, establish regional credibility, and challenge Nigeria’s long-held dominance.
As the first balls prepare to be bowled, the Yellow Greens find themselves at the intersection of expectation and opportunity, tasked with defending a title that once inspired continental optimism and reclaiming the competitive edge that eluded them on the road to the World Cup.
