In a historic low for men's T20I cricket, Ivory Coast was bowled out for just 7 runs against Nigeria during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Sub-Regional Africa Qualifier (Group C). This marked the first instance of a single-digit total in T20I history. The previous record low, 10 all out, had occurred twice: by Mongolia against Singapore in September 2023 and by Isle of Man against Spain in 2022.
Nigeria's victory by 264 runs ranks as the third-largest margin in men’s T20I history, trailing only Zimbabwe’s 290-run triumph over Gambia last month and Nepal’s 273-run win over Mongolia at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou.
Batting first, Nigeria put up a colossal 271 for 4, powered by opener Selim Salau’s spectacular 112 off 53 balls, an innings peppered with 13 fours and 2 sixes. He was supported by Sulaimon Runsewe, who smashed a blistering 50 off just 19 deliveries, and Isaac Okpe, who hammered an unbeaten 65 from 23 balls, clearing the ropes six times.
For Ivory Coast, bowlers Pamba Dimitri (1/45) and Kouakou Wilfried (1/63) managed to claim a wicket each but could not stop the Nigerian onslaught.
Chasing the mammoth target, Ivory Coast crumbled in just 7.3 overs, with opener Ouattara Mohamed top-scoring with 4 runs off 6 balls. Nigerian bowlers were unstoppable, as left-arm spinner Isaac Danladi and left-arm pacer Prosper Useni grabbed three wickets each. Right-arm quick Peter Aho took two, and Sylvester Okpe chipped in with one to seal a historic bowling performance.
This unforgettable match not only set records but also highlighted the dominance of Nigeria in the qualifier and the challenges faced by Ivory Coast in the global cricketing arena.
Brief Scores
Nigeria: 271 for 4 (Salau 112, Okpe 65*, Runsewe 50, Dimitri 1-45)
Ivory Coast: 7 all out(Useni 3-0, Danladi 3-2, Aho 2-0) by 264 runs