The 5th edition of the Nigeria Invitational WT20i will begin with Rwanda national cricket team taking on Ghana national cricket team in the opening match of the tournament in Lagos.
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The tournament, organized by the Nigeria Cricket Federation, will take place from March 20 to March 28, 2026 at the Tafawa Balewa Square Cricket Oval, bringing together five teams from across the African cricket community.
After the opening fixture between Rwanda and Ghana at 10:00 AM on March 20, host nation Nigeria national cricket team will begin their campaign later that day when they face the Zimbabwe national under-19 cricket team at 2:00 PM.
The competition will also feature the South Africa national under-19 cricket team, making the tournament a blend of experienced senior sides and emerging young talents.
Matches will be played daily at 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM, giving fans plenty of action to look forward to throughout the event.
Following the opening day, South Africa U19 will face Ghana on March 21 before Zimbabwe U19 take on Rwanda later the same day.
On March 22, Nigeria will clash with Ghana in what promises to be one of the standout matches of the group stage, while Rwanda will battle South Africa U19 in the afternoon fixture.
After a rest day and legacy programme on March 23, the action resumes on March 24 with South Africa U19 facing Zimbabwe U19 before Rwanda meet Nigeria.
The following day, Nigeria will return to the field against South Africa U19, while Ghana will square up against Zimbabwe U19.
March 26 has been scheduled as another rest day, tagged “Feel the Pulse of Africa in Lagos,” before the tournament moves into the knockout phase.
The semi-finals will be played on March 27, with the top four teams from the round-robin stage battling for places in the final.
The tournament will conclude on March 28 with the third-place match in the morning and the final later in the afternoon.
Teams are expected to arrive in Lagos on March 18, with practice sessions, press conferences and media engagements scheduled for March 19 ahead of the official start of the competition.
The Nigeria Invitational WT20i has steadily grown in profile over the years and continues to provide an important platform for international cricket development in Africa, while also giving Nigerian fans the opportunity to experience top-level cricket on home soil.
