By Ibrahim Karim Bangura (Tanko)

One of the successive sporting disciplines in the country, Sierra Leone Under-19 Men’s Cricket team has reached into the finals of the ICC Under-19 Men’s World Cup Africa Division after defeating Nigeria by nine wickets last week in Dar es Salaam.

Sierra Leone has directly been spotted in the 2025 ICC Men’s U-19 World Cup Africa Division 1 Qualifier, which serves as a pathway of Sierra Leone’s entry ticket to Sri Lanka’s 2026 tournament.

Sierra Leone won the toss and chose to bowl. Nigeria batted first and scored 116 runs, resulting in all their players being out in 31.3 overs, setting a target of 117 runs for Sierra Leone to chase Junior Men’s Patriots who successfully achieved the target in under two hours, with Captain Raymond Coker and Alusine Turay leading the charge, contributing to a total score of 119 runs for the loss of only one wicket in 19 overs. This secured a nine-wicket victory for Sierra Leone.

Throughout the tournament, Sierra Leone showcased their prowess by defeating four well-funded teams with their strong fielding performance. In all of their victories, they won by taking wickets.

Raymond Coker, the team’s captain, received the Man of the Match award for his outstanding performance. He took three wickets, bowled nine overs, delivered 39 dot balls, and secured two maidens, resulting in a bowling economy rate of 2.00. This award marks his third recognition during the tournament.