Saturday fixtures

Kenya vs Botswana (7th & 8th place ) 9:15am

Malawi vs Cameroon (5th & 6th) 9:30am

Zimbabwe vs Uganda 1:15pm (Final)

Rwanda vs Nigeria 1:45pm (3rd place)

The national cricket team was on Friday, June 7 eliminated from the Kwibuka T20 international tournament despite pulling off a six-wicket win against Zimbabwe in the semi-finals of the showpiece at Gahanga International Cricket Stadium.

The win only restored Rwanda's pride but was not enough to book a slot in the final, since the team had suffered costly defeats earlier on.

Zimbabwe will proceed to meet Uganda in the final on Saturday, while Rwanda will take on Nigeria in the battle for the third place.

The tournament debutants (Zimbabwe) won the toss, and as expected, opted to bat, pilling 127 for three wickets in 20 overs.

As it had been in the previous two games, Rwanda’s fielders were again their own worst enemies, dropping an unbelievable seven catches while Clarisse Umutoniwase 'gifted' Zimbabwe three costly misfields, leading to three 4s.

Alice Ikuzwe dropped Loryn Phiri on seven off her own bowling, the batter was dropped again on three more occasions and she went on to lead Zimbabwe with 58 off 39 (not out), including nine 4s.

Phiri’s partnership with Teresia Cyiyedza (42 off 54, not out) produced 100 runs.

Rwanda made an electric start as expected, with Rosine Irera taking two early wickets, including Kelis Ndhlovu, caught by Ikuzwe (6 off 7) and Pasipanodya Runyararo ((0-4), bowled.

When Diane Bimenyimana took out Beloved Bhiza (13 off 18), caught by Irera, momentum was with Rwanda, who restricted Zimbabwe to 33/3 in the 10 overs.

However, after the short water break, the concentration levels of the Rwandan players seemed to decrease as they dropped six catches while Phiri and Chiyedza pilled on runs for fun. The next 10 overs produced 94 runs.

At that point, it appeared as though the game was heading in Zimbabwe’s direction, but a confident start to the second inning by Rwanda changed everything.

One good partnership wins a T20 game, and Rwanda won courtesy of one between Henriette Ishimwe (46 off 29, not out) and Clarisse Umutoniwase (29 off 25, not out).

Ishimwe, who came in at number five, helped herself to seven 4s and a six enroute to her highest score for the tournament, while Umutoniwase (No.6), had four 4s.

Opener Bimenyimana, who has had to carry the runs burden throughout the tournament, scored 18 off 31. Shakira Niyomuhoza had 10 off 16, whereas Merveille Uwase and Gisele Ishimwe, had 7 runs each.

Phiri claimed two wickets for 22 runs in four overs, while Ndhlovu (1-21-4) and Olinder Chare (1-25-3).

"We came into today's game with one purpose (to win), so the attitude had to be the right one. Unfortunately, we cannot qualify for the final," Rwanda captain Bimenyimana, told Times Sport.

Asked why they had to leave it late to produce a result when it was mathematically almost over to overcome Zimbabwe for second place, she said:

"It's hard to explain how we lost against Uganda. But today, at least all the girls that batted, contributed (runs). Now, we must beat Nigeria to take the third place," she noted.

Rwanda started their title defence with four straight wins against Cameroon, Malawi, Botswana and Kenya.

However, the team then went on to lose two games in a row against Nigeria and Uganda, which all but eliminated them before the Zimbabwe game.

Meanwhile, Uganda reached the final unbeaten after Proscovia Alako scored the first century of this year's competition in their 95-runs win over Cameroon.

Alako, normally a number four, came in at two and went on to notch 100, including nine 4s and 5 sixes off 63 balls.