Kenyan women shine at Kwibuka championships

Bowler Veronica Abuga, Kenya National Cricket Ladies Team training at Nairobi Simba Club ahead of the upcoming Kwibuka T20 Tournament to be held in Rwanda. June 3, 2021. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Kenya Women’s Cricket team kept up its winning run at the Kwibuka T20 tournament in Kigali, Rwanda after beating Nigeria by eight wickets.

The Kenya opening partnership of Queenter Abel and Veronica Abuga scored 71 runs. Abuga registered 33 runs off 36 deliveries while Abel had 40 from 53 balls.

Nigeria won the toss and elected to bat, but they were down three wickets with just eight runs in the match played on Tuesday.

However, Blessing Etim, and Sunday Salome, came together to put on 53 runs for the fourth wicket, before Abel struck, to remove Blessing Etim for 34 runs.

Blessing had struck four boundaries in her innings. Nigeria eventually finished their innings on 108 for the loss of five wickets, to set Kenya a target of 109 for victory.

The opening stand of 71 between Abel and Abuga Ade it easy for Kenya and eventually, skipper, Margaret Ngoche and wicketkeeper Sharon Juma, saw Kenya across the line with 11 deliveries to spare.

It was Nigeria’s second loss after defeat to Namibia by a similar score wickets on the first day of the tournament. The Kenyans started their campaign in the tournament with a nine-wicket victory over Botswana.

Kenya is the most decorated side in the tournament’s history with three titles.

Meanwhile, Rwanda succumbed to a 43 runs loss to Namibia in their second match of the competition on Monday.