By Bockarie Allieu
The Senior Men’s National Cricket Team is set to jet into Abuja, Nigeria, tomorrow, to participate in the ICC Senior Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier. Sierra Leone’s Patriots are competing in Regional Qualifier C, alongside host country Nigeria, Botswana, Eswatini, St. Helena, and Ivory Coast.
The top two teams from this group will advance to the next stage, where they will join Namibia and Uganda, who have already qualified from Qualifiers A and B. The six teams in Regional Qualifier C will battle it out for the chance to continue their World Cup qualification journey.
Upon arrival in Abuja tomorrow, Thursday, the teams will engage in training on Friday at the NCF Ovals. On Saturday, the opening day of the tournament, Sierra Leone will face Ivory Coast in the afternoon at NCF Oval 1, while Nigeria will take on St. Helena. Botswana will kick off the day with an early match against Eswatini.
The Sierra Leone contingent consists of 15 players, along with the coach, team manager, chairman (leader of delegation), acting general manager, and the public relations officer (PRO).
Chairman Francis Samura expressed confidence in the team’s prospects, noting the balanced mix of experienced players and emerging young talent. He assured Sierra Leoneans that the team is determined to qualify for the next stage of the World Cup qualifier.
Team captain Lansana Lamin emphasized the team’s commitment to securing the championship trophy, stating that they are fully focused on the task ahead. Notable members of the team include Raymond Coker, captain of the Junior Men’s Patriots, Vice-Captain George Sesay, and top batsman Alusine Turay—all of whom played key roles in helping Sierra Leone’s U-19 team qualify for the ICC U-19 World Cup Division 1.
