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Cricket World Top Bowler Aho Eyes Indian Premier League
Peter Aho, a Nigerian cricketer who recently broke a world bowling record, says he is hopeful of featuring in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
He told the Newsmen yesterday in Abuja that he is hoping on improving his game and consequently feature in the IPL.
The 19-year-old took the record away from Indian Deepak Chahar on Sunday to become the bowler with the best figures in an innings of a T20 international cricket tournament.
Aho, who achieved this feat at the just-concluded six-match bilateral series against Sierra Leone in Lagos, said the tournament was a good preparation for the T20 Africa Qualifiers.
“Every cricketer’s dream is to play in the IPL.
It is my dream also that one day I will be good enough for a club in the Indian league.“So, I will just continue to improve my game and contribute my best to the national team and help rewrite the history of Nigerian cricket,’’ he said.
The player whose battling prowess helped Nigeria to qualify for her first-ever World Cup in 2020 said he was happy to improve on his bowling abilities.
He said this helped him to create a new world record.
“I am happy to have broken the record, though I wasn’t expecting or looking forward to such.
“I think that, over the years, I have been able to play under tight conditions. But, anytime I have a good start to a game, I always want to finish very well,” Aho said.
The bowler however praised the efforts of his coaches, saying this also made it possible for him.
“For me, it means also too that there’s still a lot of work to be done,” he added.
The fifth game of the series saw Aho improving his statistics to become top with six wickets, conceding five runs, one maiden in 3.4 overs.
Team Nigeria eventually won the game by 19 runs.
Aho, who was recently promoted to the senior team from the under-19 camp, however added that the result of the competition did not reflect its intensity.
“Nigeria won five out of the six matches played and this made it to look easy, but it was very tough because they (Sierra Leone) put us under pressure.
“We played under tight conditions as the schedule of the games were usually adjusted due to weather conditions.
“But it was a good test for us ahead of the T20 World Africa qualifiers in Rwanda in November,” he said.
The Super Eagles camp in Cairo has grown to 22 players with the arrival of Blackburn Rovers defender Ryan Alebiosu, ahead of Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) international friendly match against Egypt.
News reports that Atalanta winger Ademola Lookman and defenders Semi Ajayi and Bright Osayi-Samuel reported to camp earlier on Monday at the Renaissance Hotel, joining a steadily increasing squad.
Goalkeeper Amas Obasogie, defender Igoh Ogbu and midfielder Tochukwu Nnadi were also among the latest arrivals to bolster the team.
They linked up with early arrivals Francis Uzoho, Stanley Nwabali, Ebenezer Akinsanmiro and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, who had checked in on Sunday.
Super Eagles Media Officer Promise Efoghe said that 20 players participated in the team’s first training session held on Monday evening.
“Training went smoothly and the players showed good energy and commitment, which is encouraging at this stage of preparations,” Efoghe said.
Efoghe said that Club Brugge midfielder Raphael Onyedika and Alebiosu arrived shortly after training, raising the number of players in camp to 22, with six more expected.
He said as part of preparations, the Super Eagles would play a friendly against the Pharaohs of Egypt on Tuesday at the Cairo International Stadium.
“The friendly will help the technical crew assess team shape and readiness ahead of the AFCON challenge,” Efoghe said.
Nigeria, three-time champions, and seven-time winners Egypt will clash at 8 p.m. Egypt time (7 p.m. Nigeria time) in the build-up to the 35th Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco.
Efoghe confirmed that the team will depart Cairo for Féz on Thursday aboard a chartered flight to continue final preparations.
Nigeria’s quest for a fourth continental title, following victories in 1980, 1994 and 2013, begins on Dec. 23 against Tanzania, under the theme “NAIJA 4 THE WIN.”
The Eagles will also face Tunisia on Dec. 27 and Uganda on Dec. 30 in Group C, with all matches scheduled for the Complexe Sportif de Féz.
Egypt, the only nation to win AFCON three consecutive times, will battle South Africa, Angola and Zimbabwe in Group B, with matches holding in Agadir.
As anticipation builds for the Africa Cup of Nations 2025, set to kick off on December 21 in Morocco, the Confederation of African Football has released a list of items prohibited across all tournament stadiums.
According to the guidelines cited on CAF’s website on Monday, the rules are aimed at ensuring fan safety throughout the competition.
Fans attending AFCON 2025 matches in Morocco will be subjected to security screening.
They are advised not to bring prohibited items into stadiums to ensure safety, order and a smooth match-day experience.
Below is the list of items fans are advised to leave at home before entering AFCON stadiums:
Alcoholic beverages, Illegal substances and drugs, Weapons and sharp objects, Fireworks and pyrotechnics, Glass bottles or containers, Flammable materials, Racist, violent or discriminatory banners, Unauthorised political, religious or commercial signs, Drones and animals, Large umbrellas and oversized hats, Professional cameras and recording equipment, Musical instruments and loud horns, Radio-emitting devices (except mobile phones) and Heavy or large bags.
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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has disclosed that the team are still a work in progress following his expensive overhaul of the squad since last season.
The Spanish tactician made this known after the Citizens thrashed Crystal Palace 3-0 in Sunday’s Premier League game.
In a chat with the club’s website, Guardiola stated that the team are in a better position than last season.
“Many things we have to improve.
Madrid gave me a lot of things, that still we are not ready, not in mentality but in how to approach certain games. They are young some of the players. But 3-0 here is a big statement for us.“When you win in the past, you believe the past was perfect, always brilliant, always the red carpet.
When we won with 100 points, all the things we achieved, we had a lot of games like today. The resilience was part of that.“There are moments that you struggle. Madrid was not the perfect game, but it was a step. We fought unbelievably to achieve that.
“We are in a better position than last season. We are close in the competitions we are in.”
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