In a stunning display of precocious talent, 15-year-old Rwandan wicket-keeper batter Fanny Utagushimaninde became the first player in women’s cricket history to score a century on her T20I debut, blasting an unbeaten 111 off 65 balls against Ghana on March 20, 2026, at Tafawa Balewa Square Cricket Oval in Lagos.
At just 15 years and 223 days old, she also claimed the record as the youngest centurion in Women’s T20Is, eclipsing Uganda’s Prosscovia Alako (16 years and 233 days), who made 116 against Mali in Kigali in 2019. Her explosive knock, featuring 17 boundaries, powered Rwanda to a mammoth 210/3 in the opener of the Nigeria Invitational Women’s T20I Tournament, sealing a 122-run thrashing of Ghana and capping off her international debut with Player of the Match honours.
Skipper Marie Bimenyimana’s decision to bat first after winning the toss proved decisive. Utagushimaninde, opening alongside Gisele Ishimwe (14 off 10), tore into the Ghanaian attack, justifying the aggressive call on a batting-friendly surface. Wicket-keeper batter Merveille Uwase (32* off 19) added a crucial cameo, while Ghana conceded 28 extras, including 25 wides, that swelled the total. Miriam Eshun (3-0-23-1), Grace Quaicoe (4-0-43-1), and Ernestina Sagoe (2-0-26-1) snared the wickets for Ghana, but Kate Awuah’s economical 4-0-27-0 spell couldn’t stem the tide.
Chasing 211, Ghana crumbled to 88/8 in 20 overs. Kate Awuah top-scored with a gritty 31 off 56, supported by Rashidatu Salia (14 off 15), Elizabeth Annor (11 off 16), and Rebecca Adotel (10 off 9). Rwanda’s bowlers dominated: Belise Murekatete (4-0-20-3) led the charge, with Bimenyimana (3-0-6-1), Henriette Ishimwe (2-0-5-1), and Alice Ikuzwe (3-0-10-0) stifling any comeback chances.
This triumph gives Rwanda, led by Bimenyimana, a flying start in the tournament running March 20-28, featuring Nigeria, Zimbabwe Under-19, Ghana, and South Africa Under-19. Utagushimaninde’s feat eclipses even legends like former Australian all-rounder Karen Rolton, whose 96* off 53 balls against England at Taunton on September 2, 2005, was the previous record holder for the highest individual score by a batter on T20I debut in the women’s game.
It was also only the 2nd-ever Women’s T20I, where her inspired knock earned her the Player of the Match honours in what was a 7-wicket win for her side in that game. In an era of associate nations rising, Rwanda’s teenage sensation signals a bold new chapter for women’s cricket in Africa.
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