The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Africa Region Division One Qualifier concluded with thrilling encounters that highlighted both the rising talent and competitive spirit of women’s cricket across the continent. From nail-biting finishes to dominant displays, the tournament provided a perfect blend of drama and skill.
Tanzania Women showcased resilience in a tense third-place play-off against Uganda, while Nigeria powered past Sierra Leone with an all-round masterclass led by Lucky Piety to secure seventh place. Rwanda held their nerve in a close contest to edge Kenya in the fifth-place clash, and in the grand finale, Zimbabwe stamped their authority with a clinical 9-wicket victory over Namibia to be crowned champions.
Match 3rd Place Play-Offs: Tanzania Women vs Uganda Women
In a tense low-scoring battle, Tanzania Women held their nerve to edge past Uganda Women by just 6 runs, clinching third place in the tournament. Both sides fought hard in a match dominated by bowlers, but it was Tanzania’s composure under pressure that sealed the victory.
Batting first, Tanzania struggled for momentum early on as their top order found it tough to counter Uganda’s disciplined bowling. Saum Mtae (15) offered some resistance before falling, but it was Neema Pius (33 off 43) who held the innings together with a patient knock. The real impetus came from Hudaa Omary, who played a match-defining innings, remaining unbeaten on 45 off 34 balls. She struck timely boundaries and rotated the strike well while wickets tumbled at the other end. The rest of the batting line-up couldn’t offer much support, collapsing for single-digit scores, leaving Tanzania with a modest but defendable total of 109/5 in 20 overs.
Uganda’s bowling was led by captain Concy Aweko (2/14), who bowled with guile and control, while Immaculate Nakisuuyi (1/13) and Kevin Amuge (1/26) chipped in with important breakthroughs.
Chasing 110 for victory, Uganda never managed to find rhythm. Their innings began shakily as early wickets pegged them back. Captain Janet Mbabazi fell cheaply for just 9 runs, leaving a huge burden on the middle order. Esther Iloku stood tall with a fighting 45 off 45 balls, anchoring the innings and keeping Uganda’s hopes alive. She found some support from Rita Musamali (18 off 15), who struck a couple of boundaries to lift the scoring rate, but once both departed, the chase unraveled quickly. The rest of the batting card crumbled under pressure, Malisa Ariokot (0), Kevin Awino (3), Concy Aweko (0) as Tanzania’s bowlers tightened the grip.
The Tanzanian bowling attack delivered a collective performance, led by Nasra Saidi (3/20) who picked crucial wickets at key intervals. She was ably supported by Mwanamvua Ushanga (2/20) and Agnes Qwele (2/21), while Sheila Kizito (1/12) applied further pressure in the middle overs. Their disciplined lines and relentless pressure restricted Uganda to 103 all out, falling agonisingly short by just 6 runs.
7th place play-off: Nigeria Women vs Sierra Leone Women
Nigeria Women produced a commanding all-round performance to claim a convincing 85-run victory over Sierra Leone Women in the 7th place play-off, powered by a spectacular individual display from Lucky Piety with both bat and ball.
Batting first, Nigeria piled up a strong total of 159/4 in 20 overs, thanks largely to Piety’s explosive knock. The opener took charge of the innings with a brilliant 92 off 60 balls, mixing clean hitting with intelligent strike rotation. She dominated the Sierra Leone bowlers, finding boundaries with ease and ensuring Nigeria stayed ahead in the contest. She was well supported by Victory Igbinedion (23 off 24) and Muhibat Amusa (15 off 21), who kept the momentum going during the middle overs. Towards the end, Oseyande Omonkhobhio (11* off 7) and Salome Sunday (8 off 6) added handy runs to close the innings on a high.
Sierra Leone’s bowlers struggled for breakthroughs, with wickets shared among Alice Fillie (1/7), Zainab Kamara (1/22), and captain Aminata Kamara (1/31).
In reply, Sierra Leone’s batting faltered from the outset, never finding the rhythm needed to chase a steep target. Only a few players managed to get into double figures, Emma Kamara (15 off 14), Fatu Conteh (12 off 29), and Ann Marie Kamara (13 off 14) showed some resistance, but their efforts were not enough to keep the innings alive. Captain Aminata Kamara fell for a duck, while the rest of the line-up collapsed cheaply with single-digit scores, eventually bowled out far short of the target.
Nigeria’s bowlers, led once again by Lucky Piety, ensured there was no way back for Sierra Leone. After her batting heroics, Piety shone with the ball, delivering a match-winning spell of 4/10, dismantling the opposition. She was well backed by Peculiar Agboya (1/4) and Muhibat Amusa (1/4), who chipped in to tighten the screws. Sierra Leone were bundled out for a modest total, giving Nigeria a dominant win and a fitting end to their campaign.
5th place play-off: Rwanda Women vs Kenya Women
The 5th place play-off turned into a nail-biting contest as Rwanda Women edged Kenya Women by just 6 runs, holding their nerve in the final overs to clinch a hard-fought win.
Batting first, Rwanda posted a competitive 122/5 in 20 overs, built around a steady knock from captain Marie Bimenyimana (33 off 33). Despite losing opener Clarisse Uwase for a duck, the innings found rhythm through Gisele Ishimwe (26 off 34) and Shakila Niyomuhoza (24 off 33), who stitched important stands in the middle order. Late cameos from Henriette Ishimwe (11 off 10) and Merveille Uwase (14* off 11) pushed the total past the 120-mark, giving Rwanda a defendable score.
Kenya’s bowlers kept things tight, with Jemimah Ndanu (2/27) leading the way and support from Judith Ajiambo (1/14), Queentor Abel (1/19), and Melvin Khagoitsa (1/26).
In reply, Kenya’s chase was carried almost single-handedly by Queentor Abel, who played a brilliant captain’s innings of 62* off just 41 balls, hitting boundaries under pressure and keeping her team in contention. She found early support from Monicah Ndhambi (37 off 46), but once that partnership broke, wickets tumbled rapidly. The rest of the line-up fell away cheaply with single-digit contributions, including captain Melvin Khagoitsa dismissed for a duck, which left too much for Abel to do alone. Despite her valiant effort, Kenya finished at 116/6, just short of the target.
Rwanda’s bowlers deserve the credit for holding their nerve in the closing stages. Henriette Ishimwe (3/30) delivered crucial breakthroughs to dent Kenya’s chase, while Belise Murekatete (2/2) was outstanding in her short but decisive spell. Their tight lines and timely wickets made all the difference in a game where one partnership could have swung it the other way.
Final: Namibia Women vs Zimbabwe Women
Zimbabwe Women were crowned champions in dominant fashion as they eased past Namibia Women with a convincing 9-wicket victory in the final, capping off their campaign with a clinical all-round performance.
Batting first, Namibia struggled to find fluency and could only post 115/7 in 20 overs. Skipper Sune Wittmann (11 off 17) failed to get going, and while several players got starts, it was Kayleen Green who carried the innings with a gritty 48 off 47 balls, striking boundaries when her team needed them the most. She was well supported by Yasmeen Khan (23 off 21) and Mekelaye Mwatile (18 off 15), but the lack of depth in the batting order cost Namibia dearly as the lower order collapsed for single digits.
Zimbabwe’s bowlers kept the pressure on throughout, with Josephine Nkomo (2/13) leading the attack brilliantly, backed by Nyasha Gwanzura (2/24), while Beloved Biza (1/7) and Loreen Tshuma (1/20) chipped in with key breakthroughs.
Chasing 116 for victory, Zimbabwe made the task look effortless. Opener Modester Mupachikwa anchored the chase with a steady 37 off 45, playing the perfect supporting role to the in-form Kelis Ndhlovu, who stole the show. Ndhlovu produced a commanding match-winning innings of 70* off just 52 balls, mixing elegance with aggression, dispatching the bowlers with ease and ensuring Zimbabwe never lost control of the chase. By the time Loreen Tshuma (4* off 2) joined her at the crease, the match was already sealed, with Zimbabwe cruising to 116/1 in just 17.5 overs. Namibia’s only success came through Saima Tuhadeleni, who managed the solitary wicket of Mupachikwa.
It was a fitting end to Zimbabwe’s campaign, who displayed balance, depth, and composure throughout the tournament. Ndhlovu’s unbeaten 70 was the highlight of the final, underlining her growing stature as one of the brightest young stars in African women’s cricket, while Namibia’s spirited run to the final ended just short against a more polished unit.
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