Rwanda Cricket Association (RCA) is optimistic that the one-week series against Nigeria will help build a strong national ladies cricket team ahead of the World Cup qualifiers tournament. Emmanuel Byiringiro, the RCA Executive Secretary, has said that the cricket body is highly expectant for the Nigeria Tour to boost the women cricketers in terms of preparedness and experience as they gear up for the qualifiers come May. “We look forward to the 2019 ICC Women’s World Cup qualifiers, for the first time. The series in Nigeria will help us to identify our areas of improvement, especially in batting and bowling,” said Byiringiro. He further added that the friendly series against their Nigerian counterparts will be considered by the International Cricket Council (ICC) while doing their next world rankings since Rwanda is unranked at the moment. According to a tentative information, Zimbabwe will host the World Cup qualifiers from May 3 to 13, and the ten-day competition will feature; Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and the hosts Zimbabwe. “Zimbabwe and Uganda are the two teams to watch out for,” Byiringiro noted. The 14-player composition that arrived in Nigeria on Friday includes some of the renowned female cricketers in the country such as Cathia Uwamahoro, Sifa Ingabire, Henrietta Ishimwe, Veronica Iriho and skipper Sarah Uwera. Former Kenya international Joshua Mwanja is the head coach. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
