The inaugural West Africa T20 Trophy is set to kick off on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, in Lagos, Nigeria. The exciting new T20 cricket tournament will feature 4 African national teams – Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Ghana.
The tournament opener will see hosts Nigeria take on Rwanda at the Tafawa Balewa Square Cricket Oval in Lagos. Later in the day, Sierra Leone and Ghana will face off in the second match.
A total of 20 T20 matches will be played over 12 days from October 4 to October 15. The league stage will consist of a triple round-robin format, with each team playing the other three sides thrice.
The top two teams at the end of the league stage will progress to the final on October 15, while the third and fourth-placed sides will play in the third-place playoff on the same day.
As hosts, Nigeria are the pre-tournament favourites, given their higher ranking of 42 in the ICC T20I team rankings. Sierra Leone, Ghana and Rwanda are ranked 59th, 61st and 62nd respectively.
Nigeria boasts experienced T20 players like captain Ademola Onikoyi, Daniel Ajeku, Sylvester Okpe, and Vincent Adewoye. They will be looking to utilize home conditions to their advantage.
Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Ghana are expected to provide tough competition, having improved their cricket structure and talent pool in recent years.
The West Africa T20 Trophy provides much-needed exposure and opportunities for players from non-test playing African nations. Performing well could open doors to global T20 leagues and contracts.
With colourful crowds, energetic performances and high-stakes cricket, the tournament promises to grow the popularity of cricket in West Africa. It is also a chance to unearth fresh talented players from the region.
The West Africa Cricket Council has left no stone unturned in the planning and promotion of the event. Cricket fans can expect 12 days of thrilling T20 action played in the right spirit.
West Africa T20 Trophy 2023 schedule – Fixture, Date and Time
| Date | Match | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, October 4 | Nigeria vs Rwanda | 2:30 PM |
| Sierra Leone vs Ghana | 6:45 PM | |
| Thursday, October 5 | Nigeria vs Sierra Leone | 2:30 PM |
| Rwanda vs Ghana | 6:45 PM | |
| Friday, October 6 | Nigeria vs Ghana | 2:30 PM |
| Rwanda vs Sierra Leone | 6:45 PM | |
| Saturday, October 7 | Nigeria vs Rwanda | 2:30 PM |
| Sierra Leone vs Ghana | 6:45 PM | |
| Sunday, October 8 | Nigeria vs Sierra Leone | 2:30 PM |
| Rwanda vs Ghana | 6:45 PM | |
| Tuesday, October 10 | Nigeria vs Ghana | 2:30 PM |
| Rwanda vs Sierra Leone | 6:45 PM | |
| Wednesday, October 11 | Ghana vs Nigeria | 2:30 PM |
| Sierra Leone vs Rwanda | 6:45 PM | |
| Thursday, October 12 | Ghana vs Rwanda | 2:30 PM |
| Sierra Leone vs Nigeria | 6:45 PM | |
| Saturday, October 14 | Rwanda vs Nigeria | 2:30 PM |
| Ghana vs Sierra Leone | 6:45 PM | |
| Sunday, October 15 | Third-place playoff | 2:30 PM |
| West Africa T20 Trophy 2023 final | 6:45 PM |
West Africa T20 Trophy 2023 teams and squads
Nigeria:
| Players |
|---|
| Sylvester Okpe (Captain) |
| Joshua Asia |
| Miracle Akhigbe |
| Sesan Adedaji |
| Akhere Isesele |
| Ifeanyichukwu Uboh |
| Isaac Okpe |
| Prosper Useni |
| Ademola Onikoyi |
| Sulaimon Runsewe |
| Chiemelie Udekwe |
| Daniel Ajekun |
| Isaac Danladi |
| Peter Aho |
| Ridwan Abdulkareem |
| Taiwo Mohammed |
Rwanda:
| Players |
|---|
| Didier Ndikubwimana (Captain) |
| Eric Dusingizimana |
| Orchide Tuyisenge |
| Hamza Khan |
| Emmanuel Sebareme |
| Nadir Muhammad |
| Zappy Bimenyimana |
| Michael Iradukunda |
| Emile Rukiriza |
| Kevin Irakoze |
| Martin Akayezu |
| Eric Kubwimana |
| Oscar Manishimwe |
| Wilson Niyitanga |
Sierra Leone:
| Players |
|---|
| Alusine Turay |
| Lansana Lamin |
| Yegbeh Jalloh |
| Aruna Kainnesie |
| George Ngegba (Captain) |
| Ibrahim Kamara |
| Raymond Coker |
| Samuel Conteh |
| John Bangura (Wk) |
| Abbas Gbla |
| Bamie Williams |
| Chernoh Bah |
| George Sesay |
| Miniru Kpaka |
Ghana:
| Players |
|---|
| Alex Osei |
| James Vifah |
| Kelvin Awala |
| Michael Aboagye |
| Paul Ayoloyine |
| Rexford Bakum |
| Daniel Anefie |
| Obed Harvey |
| Richmond Baaleri |
| Samson Awiah (Captain) |
| Joseph Theodore (Wk) |
| Thomas Bakiweyem (Wk) |
| Aziz Sualley |
| Godfred Bakiweyem |
| Kofi Bagabena |
| Nurudeen Ibrahim |
| Syed Aqeel Israr |
watch the West Africa T20 Trophy 2023 live in India
Cricket fans can catch all the live action of the West Africa T20 Trophy 2023 on digital platforms. The tournament will be live-streamed exclusively on the FanCode app and website for Indian audiences.
FanCode has bagged the digital rights for the West Africa T20 Trophy 2023. The platform promises to offer an immersive viewing experience for fans with interactive data overlays, analytics, commentary and highlights.
Unfortunately, there will be no TV telecast of the tournament available in India. The matches can only be live-streamed on the FanCode app on mobile and desktop devices.
