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BANGI, Malaysia – In a very tight game, and our final match at the 2025 ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup, Nigeria did just enough to get over the line.

Continuing her good run at the coin toss, Niamh MacNulty opted to bowl first in Ireland’s final game Super Six game.

With high humidity, there was some early swing on offer for left-arm-quick bowler Jennifer Jackson. However it was off-spinner Kia McCartney who would feature prominently in Ireland’s first two wickets.

First McCartney affected a run out from mid-off. Then just a few deliveries later she bowled Muhibat Amusa to take her first wicket of the tournament, eventually finishing with 2-13 from her four overs.

Freya Sargent took a wicket with her third ball to keep up this pattern in play, then Lara McBride removed Adeshola Adekunle with the first ball of the eighth over.

Despite the regular loss of wickets, Nigeria managed to maintain scoring, eventually picking up their run rate from the fifteenth over and posting 94/7.

Alice Walsh was dismissed in the fourth ball of their chase, as Nigeria’s bowlers were quickly able to build up pressure. However Rebecca Lowe and Freya Sargent then crept steadily towards the target until Lilian Ude removed Sargent in the sixth over.

Nigeria managed to prize out Annabel Squires, Lara McBride and Abbi Harrison all while Lowe continued her work at the crease.

47 runs were still needed from 60 deliveries with Lowe looking to accelerate, but her wicket in the twelfth over now created doubts.

Millie Spence playing her first match of this world cup campaign attempted to take control of the chase until her own dismissal came about with 21 runs still required off 30.

Ellie McGee and Kia McCartney sought to tick down the remaining runs but ultimately fell short against a Nigerian side growing in confidence having got across the line previously, by just 2 runs, against New Zealand earlier in the tournament.

MATCH SUMMARY

Ireland v Nigeria, ICC U19 Women’s World Cup in Malaysia, 29 January 2025

Nigeria 94-7 (20 overs; C Chukwuonye 25; K McCartney 2-13)
Ireland 88 (18.4 overs; R Lowe 21; L Ude 3-11)

Nigeria won by 6 runs

Scorecard here