With an outstanding 5-1 record and 10 points from 6 games, the United States of America Women are currently comfortably leading the standings. They are the team to beat due to their dominant Net Run Rate of +2.511. With eight points from seven games, Rwanda Women are still in second place, but their recent performance has been a bit of a roller coaster, leaving them with a marginally negative NRR of -0.048 as they try to catch up to the top.
The USA will be keen to establish their superiority once more after a recent defeat that ended a four-game winning streak. Throughout the competition, their lineup has appeared extremely strong, frequently outperforming opponents with both the bat and the ball. Rwanda has fluctuated between victories and losses in their last five games, so they are under pressure to show some consistency. They will need a comprehensive performance that is as clinical as the Americans have demonstrated thus far if they are to unseat the top performers.
The tactical struggle will probably revolve around whether Rwanda’s bowling assault can break up the USA top order, which has been scoring goals with ease. Rwanda will only be able to exchange early wickets tomorrow because the Americans have a talent for chasing down targets or creating enormous totals without exerting much effort. For Rwanda, it’s a huge chance to demonstrate that they should be at the top, and for the USA, it’s about ensuring that the one “L” on their record stays a one-off.
Squads:
Rwanda Women
Marie Bimenyimana (C), Alice Ikuzwe, Flora Irakoze, Rosine Irera, Gisele Ishimwe, Henriette Ishimwe, Belise Murekatete, Shakila Niyomuhoza, Rosette Shimwamana, Clarrisse Umutoniwase, Fanny Utagushimaninde, Geovanis Uwase, Merveille Uwase (WK), Ruth Uwimana
United States of America Women
Aditiba Chudasama (C), Gargi Bhogle, Taranum Chopra, Nikhar Doshi, Pooja Ganesh (wk), Aparna Gurumurthy, Sainavi Kambalapalli, Maahi Madhavan, Chetna Pagydyala, Chetnaa Prasad, Lekha Shetty, Ritu Singh, Suhani Thadani, Isani Vaghela
Players to watch out for:
Gisele Ishimwe
Throughout the competition, Gisele has made seven appearances for Rwanda. She recorded two ducks over some difficult stretches, but she was still able to amass 96 runs with a personal best of 42. During her time at the crease, she scored at a strike rate of 89.71 and demonstrated her ability to reach the boundary with 11 fours and a six
Ishani Waghela
Ishani has proven to be one of the more reliable hitters in the game and has been a star performer for the United States. She scored 160 runs at a strong average of 32.00 throughout the course of her six innings, including two half-centuries. Her strike rate of 111.88, which is supported by 17 boundaries and 6 maximums, reflects her aggressive style
Henriette Ishimwe
With excellent discipline, Henriette has spearheaded Rwanda’s bowling assault, taking nine wickets in seven games. She maintained a very respectable economy rate of 4.84 by bowling her entire allotted number of overs in nearly every game. She now has an amazing bowling average of 13.44, and her highest individual performance was a 3/20
Mahi Madhavan
Mahi, who has reached the nine-wicket mark in just six games, has been a crucial wicket-taking option for the United States. With a sharp strike rate of 11.33 and an average of 9.77, she has been very good at striking fast. Her best bowling figure of 2/8 demonstrated her composure, while her economy of 5.17 kept the score close
Pitch Report:
The Gahanga B Ground in Kigali is known for its Bermuda Grass pitch, which provides a modern, professional surface typical of international standard venues. In the current ICC Women’s T20I Challenge Trophy, the track has generally favored bowlers; statistics from the venue show a significant edge for seamers, who have historically accounted for over 70% of wickets in women’s T20Is here. While the “Lord’s of East Africa” main ground is famous for its architecture, the B Ground offers a competitive environment where the average first-innings score often hovers around 103, rewarding disciplined line and length
Weather Report:
Expect light rain tomorrow in Gihanga with a high of 25°C and a low of 20°C. There is a 55% chance of rain during the day and a 20% chance at night, with a light 3 mph northeast wind
Fantasy XI Report:
Marie Bimenyimana, Gisele Ishimwe, Henriette Ishimwe, Fanny Utagushimaninde, Merveille Uwase, Aditiba Chudasama, Gargi Bhogle, Maahi Madhavan, Chetna Pagydyala, Suhani Thadani, Isani Vaghela
Match Details:
Date: 1st May, 2026
Time: 12:30 PM
Venue: Gahanga B Ground, Rwanda
Broadcast: The game will be live-streamed on the FanCode app and website