Nigeria’s Female YellowGreens delivered a spirited performance but were unable to secure victory as they suffered an 11 run defeat to hosts Rwanda Women at the ongoing Kwibuka T20 Tournament.
The encounter, played at the Gahanga Cricket Oval in Kigali, saw the Nigerian side produce notable individual performances despite falling short in their chase.
After winning the toss, Nigeria opted to field first and restricted Rwanda to 131 for eight in their allotted 20 overs through a disciplined bowling effort.
Christabel Chukwuonye was the standout performer with the ball, claiming four wickets for 18 runs to keep the hosts under pressure throughout their innings.
Her impressive spell disrupted Rwanda’s batting momentum and prevented them from posting a more imposing total.
Captain Favour Eseigbe also made valuable contributions with two wickets, while Lilian Ude returned economical figures of one for 13 from her four overs.
In response, Nigeria began positively with opener Esther Sandy leading the charge.
Sandy produced a composed innings of 63 runs from 53 deliveries, striking nine boundaries and anchoring the chase for much of the innings.
Her knock kept Nigeria in contention and further highlighted her importance to the team’s campaign.
Chukwuonye complemented her bowling performance with a useful contribution of 15 runs, helping to steady the innings during a crucial phase of the chase.
However, Rwanda’s bowling unit maintained control in the closing stages to successfully defend its total.
Murekatete Belyse led the home side’s attack with figures of three wickets for 21 runs.
Nigeria eventually closed on 120 for nine from 20 overs, finishing 11 runs behind the target.
Despite the setback, the YellowGreens earned praise for their resilience and competitiveness against the tournament hosts.
The result leaves Nigeria in fourth position after the league phase of the competition.
Attention now turns to the third place playoff where the YellowGreens will take on Brazil in what will be their third meeting of the tournament, with the team aiming to conclude its Kwibuka 2026 campaign on a winning note.