The Rwandan Women Cricket team’s journey for a medal at the 13th African Games in Accra, Ghana, has come to an end.
Coach Leonard Nhamburo’s team fell short in their third consecutive match, losing to Uganda’s Victoria Pearls by 30 runs in a thrilling encounter on Sunday.
Despite winning the toss, Rwanda chose to bat first, but Gloria Obukor and Immaculate Nakisiyu set up the Victoria Pearls for victory.
Their disciplined batting and smart shot selection proved a challenge for the Rwandan bowlers. Stephanie Nampiina (15 runs) was the only Ugandan wicket to fall before the team posted an impressive total of 76 runs.
Rwanda’s chase started poorly with the loss of Alice Ikuzwe for a duck. However, Marie Diane Bimenyimana (28 runs) brought some stability to the innings with a team-high score. Belise Murekatete (10 runs) was the only other Rwandan batter to reach double figures.
Uganda’s Immaculate Nakisiyu continued her impressive performance, taking four crucial wickets and earning Player of the Match honors.
Earlier losses against Zimbabwe and Kenya also hampered Rwanda’s progress. In the match against Zimbabwe, crucial dropped catches proved costly. Rosine Irera missed a chance to dismiss captain Mary-Anne Musonda early on, and skipper Diane Bimenyimana failed to capitalize on a dropped catch from Modester Mupachikwa in the final overs. These lapses ultimately led to a 7-wicket defeat for Rwanda.
Despite failing to win, Rwanda did take away some positives. Captain Bimenyimana’s resilient knock of 28 runs, Alice Ikuzwe’s economical bowling spell (1 wicket for 10 runs), and 19-year-old spinner Rosine Irera’s impressive figures (3 wickets for 31 runs) offer promising signs for the future.
The team will look to learn from their experiences at the African Games and build on these bright spots for future tournaments.
