The ICC Women’s Challenge Trophy gets underway this Saturday, April 18, at Gahanga Cricket Stadium, bringing together five nations Nepal, Vanuatu, Italy, the USA and hosts Rwanda. The competition will follow a round robin format where each team faces the others twice. The team with the most wins at the end of the tournament will be crowned champions. For Rwanda Cricket Association, hosting the event already marks a major milestone. “It shows that we have done well in terms of international exposure, and it also shows the trust they have in us,” Federation General Manager Emmanuel Byiringiro told journalists at pre-tournament press conference on Friday. ALSO READ: Win or lose, ICC Women's Challenge Trophy will not leave Heading into the tournament, Rwanda are not just relying on home advantage as they are also building on lessons learned during their recent campaign in Nigeria. With an impressive run where they won all their matches leading up to the final, Rwanda fell short in the final and lost to hosts Nigeria. Despite the final a setback, Rwanda women head coach Leonard Nhamburo insists the performance that his players put up in Lagos has become a key source of motivation. “We played very well throughout the tournament, winning all our games, and even in the final against Nigeria we competed at a high level,” Nhamburo said. However, he acknowledged that the difference was in the details. “We must maintain that level and work on the small details at the end of matches.” The coach also confirmed that new players have been added to the squad, this renewed squad combined with the experience gained from Nigeria, gives Rwanda confidence heading into the tournament. ALSO READ: Kigali to host ICC women challenge trophy Teams focused on adaptation and execution Across all camps, one message stands out, adaptation will be key. Team USA coach Hilton Moreeng made their ambition clear where winning the tournament remains the ultimate goal but stressed that success will depend on how quickly teams adjust. “The most important thing is adaptation. Conditions are different, and it’s not easy. We have to be proactive and ready for anything.” Having faced Nepal multiple times before, the USA expect tight contests where small details on runs saved or wickets taken could make the difference. Nepal emphasize mental strength For Nepal captain Indu Barma, the approach is simple but disciplined. “It’s important to take it one game at a time and stay mentally prepared.” Rather than looking too far ahead, Barma said, the focus remains on consistency and execution throughout the tournament. Vanuatu banking on preparation Vanuatu head coach Joshua Rasu highlighted the growing experience within his squad, with several players having recently competed abroad. “Some of our players have been playing in Australia and Israel. We feel better prepared than in previous tournaments.” He said. However, he insists that success will come down to fundamentals “If we want to win, we have to get the basics right and follow our plans.” As the challenge begins, the first ball is bowled in Kigali, all eyes will be on which team adapts fastest and rises to the challenge. Opening weekend fixtures Saturday, April 18 Rwanda vs Italy 9:00 AM (Gahanga Main Oval) Nepal vs USA 1:00 PM (Gahanga Main Oval) Sunday, April 19 Rwanda vs Vanuatu 9:00 AM (Gahanga B Oval) Italy vs Nepal 1:00 PM (Gahanga B Oval)
