Cricket: Nigeria beat Rwanda to boost World Cup hopes

Nigeria defeated Rwanda resumed on Tuesday at the ongoing International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s T20 World Cup Africa qualifiers in Uganda.

Coming from a loss in their previous Group B games, both countries with relatively equal strength needed a victory to keep their semifinals qualification hopes alive on the rain-soaked Entebbe Oval.

Captain Diane Bimenyimana won the toss for Rwanda and elected to bat first. But the east African side struggled to get runs on the board as Nigeria displayed exceptional bowling prowess.

Batting all-rounder and usual suspects Henriette Ishimwe 4(8) and namesake Gisele 3(8) were tamed as only opener Mervielle Uwase 14(23) and Biemenyimana 17(27) made significant contributions to the score board.

Nigeria looked to be behind after limiting the 25th ranked team to 88/9 in 20 overs.

Nigeria’s Peculiar Agboya was instrumental to Rwanda’s woes with her bowling statistics of 3/13 (4).

A seemingly slow start for the west Africans had seen the Rwandans bowling with effortless ease prowess, as Salome Sunday struggled.

Favour Eseigbe 7(13) would exit in the fourth over, leaving Agboya 19(17) as the only double figures and breakthrough for captain Blessing Etim’s side, which eventually emerged victorious by 3 runs.

Player of the match, Agboya, whose contributions in both innings earned her the award, thanked her teammates for the support.

“Hopefully we will continue to get better as we progress,” she said.

The Nigerians who lost their first game to Namibia by 9 runs, will face Uganda on Thursday in the last group game.