Nigeria ready to challenge the best at U-19 Cricket World Cup — Captain Chukwuonye - Punch Newspapers

Christabel Chukwuonye, 17, is shouldering the responsibility of leading Nigeria’s Junior Female Yellow Greens to the 2027 ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh and Nepal. In this interview with ABIODUN ADEWALE, she shares her journey into cricket and her ambitions beyond the World Cup Congratulations to you and your teammates on clinching another ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup ticket. Take us back to the start of your journey; how did cricket first come into your life, and what was it about the game that made you want to keep playing? I was a sports lover right from my secondary school days at Benin Technical College. I was playing football and table tennis. I just wanted to be wherever they were playing sports. So, the late coach Peter Esewi came and introduced cricket to us, and I fell in love with the game. When I went to the high-performance training, I saw that they were sharing biscuits too, so it all started for fun, but it became a passion. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of working with several other coaches who have also shaped me, each contributing in their own way to my growth and development.   At what point did you realise that cricket could become more than just a sport you enjoyed, but something you could pursue seriously and possibly represent Nigeria in? I didn’t initially nurse the idea of what playing for the country would be like. At Benin Technical College, I just wanted to be engaged in as many sports as possible, and cricket wasn’t new to me. I started training with some more experienced players at the high-performance centre, and that improved my game. Then it was natural that I moved to the national team. It sounds like it came easily, but it took a lot of work to get there.   You have already accumulated considerable international experience at a relatively young age. How has travelling for tournaments and national team assignments changed you, both as a cricketer and as a young person? It’s like leaving your comfort zone for a new environment. Being able to go to a lot of international tournaments at a young age has really exposed me to a lot, and I’ve been able to make a lot of friends, see the game at the highest level and improve my game knowledge and awareness. This opportunity is not something that one would not pray for in any endeavour, not just as a cricket player.   One challenge young athletes often face is balancing sport with education. How difficult has it been for you to keep up with your studies while travelling frequently for camps, tournaments and international assignments? I’m studying Public Health, and it’s something I take seriously because I understand the importance of building a future beyond the game. Aside from cricket, I see myself doing something meaningful that allows me to grow, give back, and stay connected to my passion—whether that’s within sports or in another professional path. I know that balancing education and sports has forced a lot of athletes out of one. They either leave education for sports or vice versa. One of my greatest wins was my parents helping me out with it. They have played a major role in my life in terms of education. I remember a time in secondary school when I missed some exams, and I went for my first international tournament. One of my teachers was a sportsman, and he was able to assist me; people like that have played a huge role in my journey.   Have there been moments when you had to choose between an important academic commitment and cricket, and how have you managed those situations? There are moments when important tournaments clash with exams, and I would start to pray that they would postpone either of them so I could succeed in both. At the end of the day, I will always weigh my options. If the exam is something that I can always write, I would go for the tournament, and if the tournament is a once-in-a-lifetime thing, for example, the World Cup, I won’t want anything to hinder it. By and large, my coaches, parents, and teachers have done massive help for me in that regard. I’ve received a lot of support from my teachers because they understand the role of sports and education in life.   W’Cup: Falconets face anxious wait after China draw Bellew tips Itauma to win Hrgovic rematch W’Cup: Falconets face anxious wait after China draw You were named Best Fielder at the Patricia Kambarami Cup after helping Nigeria win the tournament. What did that award mean to you, particularly because it recognised an aspect of your game that can sometimes receive less attention than batting or bowling? That aspect of my game is special to me. I hold it in high regard because I love fielding. Each time we go for fielding practice, I always do it with joy. I enjoy fielding a lot, and winning that award was just me giving my best and supporting the team. So, it felt nice that my work was noticed and I was crowned. That is one of my major awards internationally, and it’s a stepping stone.   How much of a relief will the education scholarship of the NCF be for you and your teammates? Honestly, we weren’t expecting something of that magnitude because there is still some more work to be done at the World Cup. That was massive, and we thank the president and the board for the gesture. To have given us scholarships after qualifying for the World Cup shows how much we mean to them, and that alone has lifted a lot of the burden from parents and some of my teammates who are sponsoring themselves. We appreciate it, and we don’t take it for granted. Nigeria has now qualified for the U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup for a second consecutive edition. Having experienced the previous World Cup, what did you learn from that campaign that you believe will make this team better prepared this time? The lesson from the last World Cup was tough. We didn’t get to play a lot of games. Our game was washed out twice. But there was one thing that kept us going: unity on and off the field. Sometimes when I think about the last World Cup, it still feels like a dream. Experiencing that high-level tournament is an honour, and you wouldn’t want it to end as quickly as it did. This time, our preparations will also be better, unlike last year when we didn’t know what to expect.   The World Cup will bring Nigeria up against teams with much deeper cricketing systems. How difficult do you expect this next stage to be, and what do you think Nigeria must do differently to compete with the best teams? The qualifiers were just the beginning, and our coach will always say a team with heart will always scale through. The next phase will be tougher, and my team has really been the best. We just keep working. We are going to compete. I think what makes this squad special is the mix of talent, dedication, and belief in one another. Everyone brings something unique—whether it is experience, energy, or fighting spirit—and we push each other every day. For me, being part of this golden generation is not about individual achievement, but about creating a legacy for Nigerian women’s cricket. I believe together we can go very far, challenging the best teams and inspiring the next generation.   When you look at the journey ahead, what is the bigger challenge for you personally—performing as a player, making the right decisions as captain, or managing the expectations that come with leading Nigeria at a World Cup? It’s all intertwined because doing well in any of these areas will mean playing at the highest level, and I really want to play at the highest level. I know there is a lot of work to be done, and I’m giving all my best. As a result of Nigeria’s rise in the last couple of years, has anything changed for you and your teammates in terms of the popularity that national team players in other sports like football enjoy? We always go back to our normal lives. Except for a few moments in your closest circles, there’s no such thing as, “We saw you on TV.” Cricket is still growing, and some individuals still ask me if Nigeria plays cricket. Maybe with time, we will get that popularity, but at the end of the day, that’s not the aim. But when we achieve our aim, the whole world will know us. Was captaining your teammates something that came naturally to you, or did you have to consciously change your approach to the game once you became captain? When I was told I would captain the team, my coach had to quickly come in and tell me she didn’t want me to burden myself with the responsibility of being a captain. She said, “I just want you to play your A game and let the team carry itself.” So, that statement stuck, and I was seeing how the responsibility was clothing me, not me clothing the responsibility. Being a captain is beyond making decisions on the field, so I just told the girls how much we needed to get the job done. There was no pressure. I just added it to my personality, and I gave my best. From the camp, we kept reminding ourselves about the picture in Tanzania, and when we got to the tournament, the team switched on immediately. The team was aware of what was needed, and they didn’t show the pressure. Abiodun Adewale Abiodun, who reports Sports for PUNCH, covers different tiers of the Nigerian football league, the national teams, as well as cricket, in the last six years

All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Stay informed and ahead of the curve! Follow The Punch Newspaper on WhatsApp for real-time updates, breaking news, and exclusive content. Don't miss a headline – join now!

Stay in the know—fast. Get instant alerts, breaking headlines, and exclusive stories with the Punch News App. Download now and never miss a beat.