Monday, June 3

Rwanda 95/5 (20 overs) vs Kenya 43/10 (15.3 overs)

*Rwanda won by 53 runs

Team captain Marie Diane Bimenyimana scored a 64-ball half century to lead Rwanda to a 53-run win against Kenya as the defending champions edge ever closer to a top two finish and a place in Saturday's final.

Kenya won the toss and opted to field, and when they limited Rwanda to 95 for 5 in 20 overs, they gave themselves a fighting chance, but it wasn't to be as they crumbled to 43 all out in 15.3 overs.

Knowing how tight the first inning score was, and how a game of cricket can turn on its head by one good partnership, Rwanda coach Leonard Nhamburo didn't leave anything to chance with his bowling options.

Open bowler Belyse Murekatete was reinstated to the team after missing the win over Botswana, and she did not disappoint, picking two crucial wickets in the first over.

Her victims included Kenya's opener Queentor Abel fell for a 2-ball duck and Veronicah Abugah (0-3).

These wickets set the tone for the rest of Kenya's inning--their batting never got going as Rwanda's bowling got better and better, thanks in large part to Alice Ikuzwe, a part-time medium pace bowler.

Ikuzwe is rarely known for her bowling prowess, but Nhamburo turned to her on a wicket that favored a certain type of bowlers.

Kenya's decision to field first looked to have worked when they restricted Rwanda to under 100, which is normally the minimum target for most women teams in international cricket.

Bimenyimana recorded her highest score in this year's tournament, with 53 off 64 balls, including two 6s and six 4s.

However, her low scoring rate seemed to, at times, infuriate fans on the terraces and her team in the dugout--this was evidenced with a near-muted applause when she reached 50.

Shakira Niyomuhoza, fresh from scoring a match-winning 46 off 28 balls against Botswana, was Rwanda's only other batter in double figures. She finished with 10 off 28.

Gisele Ishimwe (9 off 20) and Henriette Ishimwe (9 off 9), as Rwanda batters, struggled to add runs on board.

Nhamburo had, pre-match, sent out an ominous warning to his rivals that the goal was "to win every game until the last game."

And the hosts got off a blistering start in Kenya's inning, with Murekatete setting the tone with two big wickets, including Abel who had, a day before, scored 60 off 48 balls to steer Kenya to a 23-run win against Nigeria.

When the fast bowler, removed Abugah, with the fifth ball of the second inning, you could literally smell renewed hope all around the ground.

By the sixth over and, with Kenya around 15 runs behind Rwanda, at the same stage, confidence was flowing throughout the team, and there was no turning letting off.

Bimenyimana's brave decision to hand the ball to Ikuzwe, was initially greeted with wariness in some quarters but it proved to be, not only right, but an excellent one.

The mid-order batter, reaped through Kenyan mid to lower order batters, enroute to a five-wicket haul, which is a career milestone.

She took the wickets of (Kenya's top scorer) Vanessa Ooko (bowled), when on 18 off 18 balls.

Her other victims were, Lavender Lidando (ct Merveille Uwase), Tiara Muthoni (ct Clarrise Mutesiwase), Ann Wanjira (ct Henriette) and Mercy Ahono (ct Rosine Irera).

The win against Kenya was big for Rwanda in many ways, first, it keeps them top of the table, level with Uganda, on 16 points, boosts their confidence going into the next game against Nigeria on Tuesday and it takes them closer to the final.

In other matches, Uganda, like Rwanda, also preserved their unbeaten run with an 86-run win over Malawi. Zimbabwe defeated bottom side Cameroon by 80 runs, while Nigeria pummeled Botswana by nine wickets.

With eight teams taking part in the 10th edition of Kwibuka women’s T20 tournament, games keep coming thick and fast.

On Tuesday, Rwanda will be up against fourth-placed Nigeria at Gahanga cricket stadium, starting at 9:15am CAT, while Uganda face Kenya, at Gahanga 2, starting at 9:45am CAT.

In the afternoon, Zimbabwe will take on Botswana starting at 1:15pm CAT as the two debutants Cameroon and Malawi face off, with both team looking for a historic first win of the tournament.