The St Helena cricket team has left the island to participate in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Sub-Regional Africa Qualifier C, taking place in Nigeria. The departure occurred on Saturday, November 16. This tournament is a significant opportunity for the team to represent St Helena internationally.
Led by Captain Cliff Richards, the 14-player squad includes Aiden Leo, Barry Stroud, Andrew Yon, Brendan Leo, Rhys Francis, Brett Isaac, Dane Leo, David Young, Scott Crowie, Delroy Leo, Jamie Essex, Joey Thomas and Jordan Yon. Coach Nadeem Ahmed and Team Manager Derek Richards will provide support during the competition.
This marks St Helena's fourth participation in the regional qualifying tournament since 2012. The Group C qualifier begins on November 23 with St Helena competing against Nigeria. Other teams in Group C are Botswana, Eswatini, Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast. The top two teams from this round will advance to the next stage of qualification.
Governor Phillips held a reception at Plantation House on November 7 to bid farewell to the team and wish them success. The community of St Helena has also shown strong support as they prepare for this international event.
For updates on their progress visit the St Helena Cricket Association website or watch live matches on the official ICC website.
The island extends its best wishes to the team for a successful tournament.