By Jejje Muhinde;
Victoria Pearls of Uganda took advantage of host Rwanda in their Kwibuka Women Twenty20 tournament to win by six wickets in a game played at Gahanga cricket ground on Thursday day.
Rwanda won the toss and elected to bat first finishing on 68/10 all out in their 19.1 overs.
Vumiliya Marguerite picked Rwanda’s high scores of 16 runs out of 14 balls. Sifa Ingabire ran out Naomi Kayondo.
In return, Uganda managed to chase for 69/4 winning by 6 wickets. In the last 40 balls, Uganda required only 9 runs.
Gloria Abukor posted the highest scores after managing 34 runs out of 45 balls; Janet Mbabazi posted 19 runs out of 45 balls.
Mbabazi ran out Sifa Ingabire, while Rita Musamali run out Ishimwe Henriette
In the other game played at Integrated Polygenic Institute College-Kicukiro, Kenya beat Botswana by 35 runs.
Defending champions Kenya won the toss and opted to bat first setting 137/6 in 20.0 overs, Sarah Weloto managed the teams highest scores of 33 runs out of 20 balls her teammate Abel Queentor posted 32 runs out of 19 balls and 5 fours.
Botswana managed 102/7 in 20.0 overs falling short by 35 runs. Thapelo Modise picked 61 runs out of 59 balls.
Uganda will face Kenya in what is expected to be a thrilling game on Friday, June 10th at Gahanga.
Botswana battles Tanzania in search of a first win at IPRC, while Brazil takes on Rwanda in thGahannae second game to be played at Gahanga.
The eighth edition of the Kwibuka T20 tournament which is underway in Kigali will see eight countries, namely, Botswana, Brazil, Germany, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda compete for the crown when the curtains fall on June 18.
Kenya won their fourth title in 2021. Their previous three wins came in 2015, 2017, and 2018.
Uganda on the other hand have won twice, in 2014 and 2016. Tanzania have won the competition just once, in 2019.
The inaugural season of the Kwibuka T20 tournament was played in 2014 and since then the competition has been held annually.
In 2020, due to COVID-19, the tournament did not take place. It is the flagship event of the women’s cricket calendar in Rwanda.
