Team Kogi and Kwara will lock horns against each other in the finals of the male and female categories of the zonal qualifiers of the National U-17 Cricket championship.
Sponsored by Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC), the championship had four states vying for honours in the boys event, while three were participating in the girls event.
Kogi defeated Plateau earlier in the day by three wickets in the male event, while Kwara secured a 10-wickets’ victory against Niger, to ensure a place for Kwara and Kogi in the finals, on Sunday.
In the women’s event, Plateau lost by eight wickets to Kogi and succumbed to a 146 runs victory in the game against Kwara.
The results meant that Kwara and Kogi had both secured a place in the finals of the two events, a repeat of the 2021 edition.
Awoboola Yusuf, head coach of the Kwara state cricket association, said he hoped his players would execute the team’s plan on the pitch.
“I am glad that we are able to put up a good performance today against our opponents.
“Although, Kogi has been our biggest rivals recently, I am sure of an exciting game tomorrow.
“Last year, we lost by one run to Kogi in the women’s event and that was painful. This time, we have gone back to the drawing board to ensure that what happened last year, will not repeat itself.
“We have put in a lot of strategies. We have been able to identify our errors and I pray that the players would execute some of the plans we have tomorrow”, Yusuf said.
On his part, coach Edisha Omolaiye of the Kogi cricket association, said he was optimistic of victory against his opponents on Sunday.
” Kwara is a very good side, but Kogi are no pushovers. We will give our best tomorrow and I am sure we will be victorious,” Omolaiye added.
The best players in each state of the regional qualifiers, would be selected to represent the region in the finals of the event in February.
The qualifiers, concurrently being played in various states of the six geopolitical zones in the country, began last Saturday and will end on Sunday, Jan. 30.