Gisele Ishimwe, one of Rwanda’s most promising cricketers, is making her mark in her career after securing a rare opportunity to play for Odiham and Greywell Cricket Club in the Hampshire Women’s Cricket League in England, becoming the first Rwandan cricketer to achieve such a milestone. Ishimwe, who was introduced to cricket at the age of eight, quickly showed exceptional talent and rose through the ranks during her time in high school. Nine years later, she captained Rwanda U19 women’s team that qualified for the 2023 ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup held in South Africa. ALSO READ: Ishimwe confident Rwanda is ready for U19 World Cup Now at 20, Ishimwe has taken another major step in her cricket journey. She travelled to England in May to gain international experience by competing in the Hampshire Women’s Division cricket league. Her debut was nothing short of spectacular—scoring an impressive 111 runs off just 79 balls and taking six wickets against Ropley Cricket Club. Her outstanding performance helped her team post an impressive 315 runs in 40 overs. At first, I was afraid and shy as a new player (in the team). But, after my first game, things changed. I’ve continued to enjoy every moment on the field, she told Weekend Sport. ALSO READ: Chasing destiny in cricket: The story of Gisele Ishimwe The opportunity to play in England came through a sponsorship from her current club sponsor Hampshire County. She was selected for the trip, alongside her teammate at Indatwa Henriette Ishimwe. unfortunately, the latter was unlucky to get a visa to the UK. Being the only Rwandan girl here gives me a sense of responsibility to represent my country. It puts pressure on me to perform well, but I believe my performance can inspire other talented boys and girls in Rwanda to dream bigger, she reflected. Despite only spending a month and two weeks with the team so far, Ishimwe says she is already noticing improvement in her game. ALSO READ: 19-year-old cricket player on living her dream and the importance of parental support “Here, I’m playing at a higher level and facing strong competition, including some familiar faces in the England U19 women’s team that we played in the 2023 U19 World Cup in South Africa. But I’ve also realized there are players I can dominate. So, I hope to grow and learn even more,” she added. Currently Ishimwe’s team is in pole position to retain the tournament as they lead the table currently. Her team hasn’t lost any of the four games she played. “It’s a good thing for my fellow Rwandan players because when I perform well, it open doors to others. They may start to look for other players from my home country to and play there,” she said. And in two weeks’ time, she will fly back to Kigali to join Rwanda’s senior women’s national team preparing for the 2025 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier, which will take place in Botswana in July 2025. This tournament is part of the qualifier for the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. “I’ll come back to contribute to the national team, and afterward, I’ll continue to seize more international opportunities,” she concluded.
