Rwanda got their ICC Men's T20 World Cup Sub Regional Africa Qualifier A campaign off to a winning start, defeating Cameroon by 7 wickets at the Botswana Cricket Association Oval 1 in Gaborone on Saturday. Rwanda won the toss and opted to bowl first and their bowlers delivered a disciplined performance, restricting Cameroon to a modest 107/7 from their 20 overs. Cameroon's innings never found significant momentum -Bruno Toube top-scored with 29 off 31 balls, while Alain Toube contributed a valuable 26 off 22 balls. However, the middle order crumbled under pressure, with five wickets falling between overs 9 and 12 as Rwanda's bowlers maintained tight lines throughout. ALSO READ: Cricket: Rwanda ready for T20 World Cup qualifiers battle Muhammad Nadir was the pick of the Rwanda bowlers, claiming 3 wickets for just 13 runs in 4 overs, an outstanding display of accuracy and control. Emile Rukiriza added 1/18 and Zappy Bimenyimana contributed 1/21 to support a collective bowling effort that left Cameroon well short of a competitive total. Chasing 108 for victory, Rwanda made short work of the target with 8 balls to spare. Hamza Khan anchored the innings magnificently, finishing unbeaten on 60 off 54 balls to guide his side home. Despite losing three wickets -including captain Didier Ndikubwimana early for 10 -Rwanda maintained composure throughout the chase. Oscar Manishimwe contributed a steady 17 off 28 balls in a crucial partnership that helped push the total past the 99-run mark. Hamza Khan was named Player of the Match for his match-winning knock.
