Rwanda is set to host the U-19 Women's Cricket World Cup qualifiers from August 20 to 27 at the Gahanga International Cricket Stadium. The tournament will feature eight teams including Kenya, Mozambique, Malawi, Botswana, Lesotho, Ghana, Eswatini, and Sierra Leone. ALSO READ: Mahatlane names squad for ICC U19 WC Africa qualifier The participating teams will compete for a spot at the World Cup final tournament. The top two teams at the U-19 qualifiers will advance to the next stage of the qualifiers where they will tussle it out with other teams including Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Namibia, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe. The national teams that perform best in the second stage will earn a place at the 2025 ICC U-19 Women's Cricket World Cup that will be held in Malaysia and Thailand. The Rwandan women’s cricket team is aiming for a return to the World Cup, having previously participated in the 2023 tournament in South Africa. Hosting the qualifiers marks the third time Rwanda has organised them, following previous editions in 2021 and 2022. Since the inauguration of the Gahanga International Cricket Stadium in 2017, Rwanda has made significant strides in the sport, participating in both the U-19 World Cup and the African Cup. The country has also produced notable players like Cathia Uwamahoro, who entered the Guinness World Records for batting continuously for 26 hours without a break. As Rwanda continues to invest in cricket, the upcoming qualifiers represent another milestone in its journey to becoming a key player in the global cricketing community.
