National women’s cricket team head coach Leonard Nhamburo has promised fearless cricket as Rwanda prepares to compete in the 12th edition of the Kwibuka Women's T20 Tournament, scheduled for June 10-20 in Kigali.
The tournament will feature five teams: Rwanda, Nigeria, Brazil, Malawi, and the Zimbabwe High Performance Centre (HPC).
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A total of 14 matches will be played at Gahanga International Cricket Stadium and the adjacent Gahanga B Ground, with the final set for June 20.
Speaking ahead of the competition, Nhamburo said the team enters the tournament in good shape following recent international engagements, including an invitational tournament in Nigeria.
"We learned a lot," she said. "We identified what we need to keep, what we need to improve, and what we need to add to our game."
Nhamburo said Rwanda&039;s target is to reclaim the title on home soil.
"Our goal is to win this tournament for the second time. We won it in 2023 and we want to achieve that again in 2026," she noted.
While acknowledging the quality of the opposition, she expressed confidence in her team's ability to compete.
"Zimbabwe HPC, Brazil, Nigeria, and Malawi are all strong teams. They are not lightweight opponents, but we will play fearless and aggressive cricket against everyone."
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The coach also welcomed the opportunity to host international teams in Kigali.
"We are very happy these teams are coming to participate. Their presence helps us improve our relationships across Africa and around the world while giving our players valuable competition."
Rwanda Cricket General Manager Emmanuel Byiringiro highlighted the growing significance of the tournament for both Rwanda and Africa.
"The Kwibuka Tournament has become one of the most important tournaments for women&039;s cricket in Africa," he said.
"For Rwanda, it provides our national players with regular international competition and helps accelerate their development and exposure. For other emerging cricket nations, it offers a valuable platform to compete, gain international experience, and improve their rankings."
The tournament, which commemorates the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, continues to carry a message beyond sport.
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"Kwibuka sends a strong and powerful message that sport can be a force for unity, hope, and the future. It shows that our nation can remember its past while building a brighter future," Byiringiro added.
This year's competition will take place in a double round-robin T20 format, with each team facing the others twice. The top two teams will advance to the final, while the third and fourth-placed sides will compete in a third-place playoff.
Byiringiro said the standard of competition continues to improve.
"The teams are becoming more professional and the quality of cricket continues to rise. We expect close matches, strong individual performances, and a highly competitive environment."
Key dates for Rwanda
June 11: Rwanda vs Malawi
June 12: Rwanda vs Brazil
June 14: Rwanda vs Zimbabwe HPC
June 15: Rwanda vs Nigeria
June 18: Rwanda vs Brazil
June 20: Final