Nigeria’s women’s national cricket team will meet hosts, Uganda, today, in their last group game of the ongoing ICC T20 Women’s World Cup Qualifying Championship in Entebbe.
Nigeria lost their opening game to Namibia by nine runs and bounced back with a hope restoring win over archrivals, Namibia, in the second game on Monday to set up today’s game against the highly-rated Ugandans.
In the game against Rwanda, who are ranked five places above Nigeria, the Women Yellow Greens showed that statistics doesn’t count when a team is determined to punch above its weight.
Captain Diane Bimenyimana won the toss for Rwanda and elected to bat first. The East African side struggled to get runs on the board, as Nigeria displayed exceptional bowling albeit some misfielding.
Batting all-rounder and usual suspects Henriette Ishimwe 4 (8) and namesake Gisele 3 (8) were tamed as only opener Mervielle Uwase 14 (23) and Biemenyimana 17 (27) made significant contributions to the score board as Nigeria looked to be behind the wheels, after limiting the 25th ranked team to 88/9 in 20 overs.
Nigeria’s Peculiar Agboya was instrumental to Rwanda’s woes with her bowling statistics of 3/13 (4). A seemingly slow start for the West Africans in the chase, considering Rwanda’s bowling prowess, as opener and big hitter, Salome Sunday, would be gone for a duck in the first over.
Favour Eseigbe 7 (13) would exit in the fourth over, leaving Agboya 19 (17) as the only double figures and breakthrough for Captain Blessing Etim’s side, eventually emerging victorious by three runs.
Player of the Match, Agboya, whose contributions in both innings earned her the award, thanked her teammates for the support.
“Thanks to my teammates I was able to achieve this. Hopefully, we will continue to get better as we progress in the game,” she said.
A win for Nigeria today will push the Women Yellow Greens to semifinals and a place close to the World Cup ticket.
