Cynthia Ezegwu
Nigeria’s head coach and high-performance manager, Steve Tikolo, has emphasized that there are no emotions attached as he leads the Yellow Greens against his former team, Kenya, in the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup qualifiers on Tuesday at the Takashinga Cricket Club in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Tikolo, a former Kenyan international, stressed that his loyalty now lies with Nigeria as they aim to advance to the semi-finals.
“I am the head coach and high-performance manager of the Nigeria Cricket Federation, and as my team is playing against Kenya, I would treat Kenya as my opponent. That’s the nature of sports or any competition,” Tikolo told PUNCH Sports Extra.
“Yes, I am a Kenyan and represented my country for over 20 years at the highest level, but right now, I am the head coach of the Nigerian team, and that’s where my loyalty and commitment lie.”
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Nigeria, currently second in their group with two points, need a win over bottom-placed Kenya to secure a semi-final spot, bringing them closer to one of the two available tickets for the 2026 T20 World Cup. The Yellow Greens began their campaign with a nine-wicket win over Malawi but suffered a 117-run loss to Namibia in their second match.
A victory against Kenya would set up a tough semi-final clash against either hosts Zimbabwe or Tanzania, who meet in a crucial top-of-the-table game on Tuesday.
Tikolo, who joined the Nigeria Cricket Federation in 2022 on a two-year contract and had his contract renewed in 2024, will be looking to guide the team through a challenging yet promising tournament.