In a thrilling game of the final league match during the Kwibuka Women’s T20 Tournament 2026, Rwanda Women defended their total of 131/8, securing a tight 11-run victory as they restricted Nigeria Women to 120/9 in their 20 overs.
The Rwanda Women’s national cricket team posted a competitive total of 131/8 in their allotted 20 overs. The anchor of the Rwandan innings was undoubtedly Clarisse Umutoniwase, who played a superb knock of 59 off 48 balls, decorated with seven boundaries and a maximum. She found solid early support from Gisele Ishimwe, who contributed a brisk 32 off 29 deliveries.
However, Nigeria’s bowling attack constantly fought back to trigger a middle-order collapse. Christabel Chukwuonye was the star with the ball, dismantling Rwanda’s lineup by cleaning up captain Marie Diane Bimenyimana for 4 and Henriette Ishimwe for a duck, while also having Ingabire Georgette out for 0 caught out. Favour Eseigbe also made a crucial impact, removing the dangerous Clarisse Umutoniwase and stumping Belyse Murekatete scored 4 off the sharp glovework of wicketkeeper Sarah Etim.
Earlier, Adeshola Adekunle had provided Nigeria with their first breakthrough by stumping opener Fanny Utagushimaninde who scored 5, while Lillian Udeh chipped in by dismissing Alice Ikuzwe for a duck. Towards the end, a handy unbeaten cameo of 12 runs from Giovannis Uwase, alongside Rosine Uwera (4*), pushed Rwanda to their final score of 131.
The bowling pressure was relentless as Nigeria’s captain, Favour Eseigbe, chipped in with a vital 2-wicket haul (2/31), including the prize scalp of top-scorer Clarisse Umutoniwase at 108/5. The tail end offered little resistance as Georgette Ingabire (109/6), Belyse Murekatete (113/7), and Alice Ikuzwe (115/8) fell in quick succession.
While Adeshola Adekunle kept things locked down with 1/31, it was Lillian Udeh who delivered the most economical masterclass of the innings, conceding only 13 runs while delivering a maiden and picking up 1 wicket in her 4-over quota. Support spells from Rachael Samson (0/14) and Oseyande Omonkhobhio (0/18) ensured that despite a solid platform, Rwanda was restricted to 131/8.
Nigeria’s chase of 131 runs started strong but ultimately faltered, finishing on 120/9 in their 20 overs. Opening batter Esther Sandy played a magnificent, lone-warrior knock, anchoring the innings with a brilliant 63 off 53 balls, an effort that included 9 boundaries. She found initial support from her opening partner, Christabel Chukwuonye, who contributed a brisk 15 off 15 deliveries.
However, the rest of the batting order collapsed under pressure, with no other player managing to break into double digits. Wicketkeeper Sarah Etim was dismissed for 4 , followed by Salome Sunday who managed 7 . Deborah Bassey scored a patient 8 off 11 balls, while Oseyande Omonkhobhio provided a brief spark of intent, striking a quick 5 off just 2 balls before being run out.
The lower order struggled to find boundaries, as Lillian Udeh was cleaned up for 1, and captain Favour Eseigbe was run out for 3. Henrietta Mbam fell for a 1 ball duck. Adeshola Adekunle fought until the end, remaining unbeaten on 9* off 10 balls alongside Rachael Samson 1*, but the required run rate proved too high, leaving Nigeria 11 runs short.
Rwanda’s defense of 131 was structured around exceptional discipline and a relentless bowling display. While Rosine Uwera opened with a tidy, ring-fencing spell of 3 overs for 18 runs to keep things quiet early on, her teammates consistently made breakthroughs. Henriette Ishimwe (1/20) and captain Marie Bimenyimana (1/20) restricted the scoring, systematically ramping up the pressure. Ruth Uwimana chipped in with a crucial wicket in her brief 2-over spell, and Alice Ikuzwe proved incredibly reliable, giving away just 23 runs across her 4 completed overs while also logging a wicket.
The defining performance of the innings, however, came from Belyse Murekatete, who ripped through Nigeria’s middle and lower order with a match-winning spell of 3/21. This high-quality bowling pressure triggered a total collapse in Nigeria’s batting order. Nigeria initially looked stable at 43/1 when Christabel Chukwuonye fell, but Rwanda’s bowlers gave them absolutely no breathing room. Once Sarah Etim went at 58/2, the wickets began falling like dominos, Salome Sunday at 86/3, followed closely by the massive, set scalp of opener Esther Sandy at 99/4.
From that point on, the tail couldn’t withstand the pressure, as Deborah Bassey, Oseyande Omonkhobhio, Lillian Udeh, captain Favour Eseigbe, and Henrietta Mbam were quickly dismissed, sealing Rwanda’s commanding 11-run victory.
Loves all things female cricket