Rwanda bounced back from their opening defeat to Zimbabwe with an emphatic 82-run victory over Namibia on Monday in the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup Africa Division 1 Qualifier in Tanzania. After losing to Zimbabwe by 51 runs in their opening match, Rwanda delivered a much-improved performance, posting 147 for nine in 20 overs before bowling Namibia out for just 65 in 13.1 overs. The victory keeps Rwanda firmly in contention for a top-two finish in Group B and gives them a chance to progress to the next stage of the qualification pathway. ALSO READ: Rwanda stumble in U19 Women's World Cup qualifier opener Utagushimaninde leads Rwanda’s batting response Rwanda’s innings was anchored by Fanny Utagushimaninde, who produced an impressive 75 off 53 balls, hitting 12 fours at a strike rate of 141.51. Her performance earned her the Player of the Match award. Her composed and aggressive innings provided the foundation for Rwanda’s total and helped the team recover from the disappointment of their opening-day defeat. Liliane Ufitinema added 19 off 27 balls, while Deborah Uwase contributed 11 off 14 as Rwanda reached 147 for nine from their 20 overs. Rwanda’s bowlers then completed the job, dismissing Namibia for just 65 in 13.1 overs to secure the team’s first victory of the qualifying tournament. A much-improved response Head coach Adelin Tuyizere said the team had deliberately prepared on wickets that would resemble the conditions they are experiencing in Tanzania, particularly given the importance of spin bowling. “We tried to have games on wickets that have a thing or two closer to Tanzania wickets, and again, spin bowling being a big thing. Yesterday, we weren’t ready for the challenge,” Tuyizere said. The coach was pleased with the way his players responded a day later. “Today the team responded well. There was good engagement and strong batting,” he added. The victory demonstrated Rwanda’s ability to adapt after the setback against Zimbabwe and gave the team renewed confidence heading into their final group-stage match against Kenya. Top-two finish remains the target Tuyizere was careful not to compare the current squad with the Rwanda team that competed at the 2023 World Cup, but said the ambition remains unchanged. “We can’t compare the team that played at the World Cup in 2023 with the current team, but still the mission remains the same.” That mission is to finish among the top two and keep Rwanda’s hopes of progressing to the next stage alive. “We’re looking at finishing in the top two to give ourselves a chance to progress to the next stage,” he said. The coach also believes the squad has the qualities required to achieve that objective. “Absolutely, yes. I believe the team is well structured to deliver. The biggest strength is togetherness and playing as a unit.” Rwanda will now face Kenya on September 2, knowing that another strong performance could determine whether they advance from the group. After a difficult opening against Zimbabwe, the victory over Namibia represents a significant response from Tuyizere’s young side and keeps their qualification hopes firmly alive.
