South-South Dominates as Semi-Finalists Emerge at NCF-PwC National U-17 Cricket Championship
Oru Leonard
The race for the title at the 7th NCF-PwC National U-17 Cricket Championship Finals intensified on Match Day 3 as teams battled fiercely for semi-final places at the MKO Abiola National Stadium.
After three days of high-energy competition, the final four teams in both the boys’ and girls’ categories have been confirmed, paving the way for a dramatic knockout stage.
Match Day 3: Decisive Battles
The final round of group matches delivered thrilling performances as regional teams fought for survival. The South-South sides maintained their dominance throughout the competition, remaining unbeaten across both categories.
Boys’ Category
In one of the standout matches, South-South overwhelmed North-West with a commanding performance. South-South posted 157/4, powered by a brilliant 68 runs off 66 balls by Ebiram Bright Ojong, before bowling out North-West for 14/10, sealing a massive 143-run victory.
Another exciting clash saw South-West defeat North-East convincingly. South-West set a challenging 195/6 in 25 overs and then restricted North-East to 75/10 in 23.5 overs, securing a 120-run win.
Girls’ Category
South-South also ended their group stage campaign on a strong note with a six-wicket victory over South-West after chasing down 63 runs.
Meanwhile, South-East confirmed their semi-final qualification with an impressive 80-run victory over North-East, bowling their opponents out for 80 in 19.4 overs.
Tournament Highlights
Throughout the group stage, South-South emerged as the benchmark team with a balanced squad featuring lethal pace bowling and disciplined batting.
The South-West boys showed remarkable resilience, particularly with their crucial Day 1 victory over South-East, which helped secure their semi-final berth.
In the girls’ category, South-East established themselves as a rising force with a spin-dominated bowling attack that troubled several northern teams. Despite their elimination, the North-East and North-Central regions demonstrated significant development and produced several standout individual performances.
Semi-Final Fixtures
The championship now moves into the knockout stage on Saturday, March 14, 2026.
Girls’ Semi-Finals
South-South vs North-West
South-East vs South-West
Boys’ Semi-Finals
South-South vs North-West
South-West vs South-East
With regional pride and national youth cricket supremacy at stake, the semi-final clashes are expected to deliver even more thrilling action as teams battle for a place in the grand finale.
