Nigeria and Rwanda shared the spotlight at the second edition of the West Africa Trophy, with both nations claiming a bulk of the individual honours at the end of the tournament, which wrapped up on Sunday in Abuja.
Nigeria once again proved their dominance by successfully defending the team title, while Rwanda’s strong performances across departments earned their players several personal awards, reflecting the country’s rapid progress in regional cricket.
Rwanda captain Didier Ndikubwimana picked up the Best Moment of the Tournament award for his inspiring performance against Nigeria in the group phase. Leading from the front, Ndikubwimana struck a composed 51 to steer Rwanda to a notable 23-run victory — a result that handed Nigeria their only loss of the competition.
For Nigeria, Danladi Isaac emerged as the tournament’s most consistent batter and was deservedly named Best Batter. He finished with 324 runs from nine innings, anchoring the Yellow Greens’ batting line-up and laying the foundation for their successful title defence.
The Best Bowler accolade was claimed by Rwanda’s Muhammad Nadir, who delivered a series of disciplined and incisive spells. Nadir ended the tournament with 15 wickets from 10 innings at an economy rate of 4.76, making him a constant threat to opposing batters.
Nigeria captain and wicketkeeper Sulaimon Runsewe was recognised as Best Fielder after an impressive showing behind the stumps. Runsewe recorded 11 dismissals and a catch in 10 matches, repeatedly turning games with his alertness and reliability under pressure.
Zambia’s Zoyeb Chand was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament after amassing 45.725 MVP points. His all-round influence was key to Zambia securing a third-place finish, a significant milestone following their return to competitive cricket.
On the team front, Nigeria sealed the West Africa Trophy with a convincing 40-run victory over Rwanda in the final at the NCF Pitch in Abuja. The Yellow Greens had earlier topped the league standings with eight wins from nine matches.
The victory echoed Nigeria’s triumph at the inaugural edition in Lagos in 2023, where they also overcame Rwanda in the final. Zambia completed the podium with a 20-run win over Sierra Leone, bringing the curtain down on a tournament that further underlined the growing strength and competitiveness of cricket in the region.
