The President of the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF), Uyi Akpata, has said the body is now targeting 500,000 youths to be introduced to the sport yearly.
He disclosed this while speaking at the reception for the cricket World Cup trophy at the Indoor Sports Hall of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
The federation hitherto had a 250,000 yearly target but the president said with the rising popularity of the sport in Nigeria at present, NCF was now targeting to introduce 500,000 youths to the sport from next year.
“25,000 girls were introduced to the game last year from Zamfara State. It is because of these exploits that we are bold to say, from next year, we will be targeting 500,000 Nigerians,” he said.
In the same vein, the President of Millennium Sports Club Association, which was founded in 2018, Ramesh Ghadge revealed plans to partner with NCF to start a cricket league in Abuja in a bid to bring more Nigerians at all levels into the game.
“Every Sunday, we play games at the Millenium Park and we are planning the Millennium Premier League. The league will start in October and it will be for all Nigerians interested in playing the game. We are good partners with NCF, we are always with them, especially in Abuja. Our club intends to bring Nigerians into the game by organising school tournaments,” he said.
The Cricket World Cup trophy, which arrived in Abuja on Tuesday, proceeded to Lagos on Wednesday before departing today.
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