Ali Rahmon Builds It, Vincent Adewoye Knocks Ghana Over — Nigeria Win by 91 Runs

There are wins by 91 runs that feel like a thrashing from the first over. This one didn't, at least not for the first hour. Nigeria lost Selim Salau in the third over with an opener already retired hurt, and 146 was built patiently rather than blasted.

The second half was a different story. Vincent Adewoye took five wickets in four overs, Ghana were 26 for 4 in the fifth over, and Ridwan Abdulkareem finished it with four more. Ghana were bowled out for 55 in 13 overs, and Nigeria won by 91 runs.

The innings started awkwardly. Sulaimon Runsewe retired hurt on 2 with the score 2 for 0, and Selim Salau was caught off Judah Solomon for 10 at 14 for 1. Runsewe came back and, with Ali Rahmon, added 48 from 41 balls before Obed Harvey bowled him for 19 in the tenth over.

From there Rahmon was the constant. Isaac Danladi made 17, Adewoye hit two sixes in his 20 from 13, and Isaac Okpe added a six in his 8. Rahmon was still there at the end on 61 not out from 46 balls, with four fours and a six. Ayushmaan Mishra, with 2 for 25, was Ghana's best bowler, and none of their seven bowlers went at much more than eight an over except Philip Yevugah, whose one over cost 15.

Joseph Theodore hit 10 from 7 balls and Ghana were 15 for 1 when he went. Eleven runs later they were 26 for 4, three wickets falling on the same score. Adewoye was behind it: Judah Solomon and Philip Yevugah both fell to him for nought. Richmond Baaleri batted 28 balls for 20, but nobody else reached 11.

Abdulkareem then cleaned up the tail: Alex Osei lbw, Ayushmaan Mishra and Nitesh Hooda caught, David Ateak bowled. Odion Isesele bowled Obed Harvey in between. The last five wickets fell for 23, and the innings was over at 12.6.

Nigeria's 146 was not a huge total, and they needed a patient innings and a late push to get there. Ghana's 55 on the same pitch says more about the batting than about the surface. The one clear lesson from the scores is the one this ground has taught all series: lose three or four wickets early and there is no way back.

Adewoye did two jobs. With the bat he gave Nigeria's innings its late lift, two sixes in a quick 20. With the ball he bowled four overs, two of them maidens, and took 5 for 11. Some all-round days are about balance. This one was about a player who seemed to be involved every time something happened.

Our preview made Nigeria heavy favourites, and they were. It also said Ghana needed to post 120-plus to compete and warned that failing that, Lagos would see another comfortable Nigerian chase. The first part held, and then some. The second didn't happen, because Nigeria won the toss and batted. The preview named Judah Solomon and Jayant Gautam as the batters Ghana needed; they made 0 and 5. It also flagged an 87% chance of rain, but the match was played without interruption. Verdict: winner called correctly, but we pictured the wrong kind of match.

After this match, Nigeria A lead the table with 8 points from five games. Nigeria are one behind on 7 (three wins, a defeat and a no-result), Sierra Leone have 5 and Ghana 0. On September 27 Nigeria play Sierra Leone and Nigeria A play Ghana. Nigeria need Nigeria A to slip up to finish top. Unlock CricIntel Pro for more T20I analysis.