Nigeria and Uganda secured their places in the 2027 ICC Men's T20 World Cup Africa Regional Final after finishing as the top two teams in the Sub-Regional Qualifier C, with hosts Nigeria completing an unbeaten campaign following a thrilling one-run victory over Uganda in Abuja.
Nigeria won all five matches in the tournament, while Uganda finished second with four victories. Both teams had already secured qualification before their final encounter at the Nigerian Cricket Federation Oval No. 1, where the hosts held their nerve to register their first-ever victory over Uganda in men's T20 Internationals.
The result ensured Nigeria finished at the top of the standings and lifted the tournament trophy, marking a significant achievement for the country's cricket programme.
Nigeria clinch last-ball thriller
Batting first, Nigeria posted 148 runs, with Isaac Danladi leading the scoring with 47. Uganda appeared well placed to chase down the target after captain Riazat Ali Shah struck an aggressive 60 off just 35 deliveries.
The match remained finely balanced heading into the final over, with Uganda requiring six runs for victory. Nigeria's bowlers conceded only three singles from the first five deliveries, leaving Uganda needing three runs to win and two to tie from the final ball.
However, the hosts faced an unexpected setback when bowler Vincent Adewoye was unable to complete his over because of an injury.
Sylvester Okpe was called upon to deliver the final ball against Juma Miyagi. The Ugandan batter attempted to complete a second run but was run out, leaving his team stranded on 147 for nine and handing Nigeria a dramatic one-run victory.
The narrow win capped Nigeria's perfect campaign and provided a memorable conclusion to the qualification tournament.
Captain hails historic victory
Nigeria captain Chima Akachukwu praised his teammates and coaching staff after the historic result, describing the victory as evidence of the progress made by the national side.
“We are delighted to have won this tournament especially beating Uganda for the first time in a T20I game. It goes to show how far we have come; the boys have been working hard and the coach pushing us to our limits,” Akachukwu said.
He also thanked the Nigeria Cricket Federation, its officials, support staff and others who contributed to the team's success.
The captain acknowledged the efforts of the other participating nations, noting that every team had managed to register at least one victory during the competition.
Individual performances recognised
Nigeria's Danladi was named Player of the Series after scoring 223 runs and taking three catches during the tournament.
His teammate Selim Salau received the Best Batter award for scoring 206 runs, including a century against The Gambia.
Uganda's Enock Kasaija was named Best Bowler after claiming 11 wickets, while The Gambia's Bubacarr Kuyateh received the Best Fielder award for taking five catches.
Zambia finished third in the standings, narrowly ahead of Mozambique on net run rate. Lesotho occupied fifth place, while The Gambia finished sixth.
Six teams advance to Regional Final
Nigeria and Uganda will join Tanzania, Ghana, Rwanda and Kenya in the 2027 Africa Regional Final, completing the six-team line-up for the next stage of qualification.
The tournament forms part of the pathway to the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2028, with the top two teams from the Africa Regional Final advancing to a global qualifier.
Namibia has already secured a place in the global qualifier following its participation in the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Zimbabwe, meanwhile, has qualified directly for the 2028 tournament after reaching the Super Eight stage of the 2026 edition.
For Nigeria and Uganda, qualification for the Regional Final represents another step towards competing on cricket's biggest T20 stage. While Nigeria will take confidence from its unbeaten campaign and historic victory over Uganda, both teams face a more demanding challenge against the continent's leading emerging cricket nations in 2027.