Rwanda clawed their way back into contention at the Kenya Quad T20 Cricket Series with a dominant nine-wicket victory over Malawi on Tuesday. The win marked their second consecutive triumph after starting the tournament with defeats to Malawi and Kenya.
Chasing a modest target of 137 runs, Rwanda’s openers, Didier Ndikubwimana and Oscar Manishimwe, set the tone with a magnificent 122-run partnership. Their dominant display, lasting 16.2 overs, featured a flurry of boundaries – 14 fours and 2 sixes.
Manishimwe continued his red-hot form, registering his fourth consecutive half-century with a well-paced 70 runs off just 50 balls. Ndikubwimana provided valuable support, contributing 54 runs from 55 deliveries.
Rwanda skipper Clinton Rubagumiya was understandably delighted with his openers’ performance. “The top-order batsmen have been exceptional,” he said. “They’ve shouldered the responsibility and delivered. We hope they can continue building on this form throughout the series.”
Earlier, Malawi got off to a promising start thanks to a solid opening partnership between brothers Gift Kansonkho (33 runs) and Donnex Kansonkho (17 runs). The duo put on 59 runs within the first 9 overs.
However, the dismissal of Gift Kansonkho triggered a mini-collapse for Malawi. While Aftab Limdawala (28 runs) and Sami Sohail (38 runs) offered some resistance, they couldn’t propel their team to a competitive total. Eric Kubwimana emerged as the bowling hero for Rwanda, picking up two crucial wickets for just 14 runs.
Rwanda will now look to extend their winning streak when they face hosts Kenya on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Malawi will aim to bounce back against Zambia.
