In a thrilling encounter at the ongoing qualifiers in Uganda, Nigeria revived their prospects for a spot in the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup by securing a nail-biting three-run victory over arch-rivals Rwanda on Tuesday.
The crucial win, determined by the Duckworth Lewis method due to rain affecting Nigeria’s innings, puts them back in contention for a coveted place in the tournament set to take place in the United Arab Emirates and Bangladesh.
Both teams, coming off losses in their previous Group B matches, entered the clash with high stakes, knowing that only a victory would keep their hopes alive for a semi-final berth.
Rwandan captain Diane Bimenyimana won the toss and opted to bat first. However, Nigeria’s exceptional bowling performance, despite a few misfielding instances, restricted the East African side’s scoring opportunities.
Star batting all-rounders Henriette Ishimwe and Gisele Ishimwe were curtailed to four runs from eight balls and three runs from eight balls, respectively. Nigeria took control, limiting Rwanda to 88 runs for the loss of nine wickets in their allotted 20 overs.
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In the second innings, Peculiar Agboya played a pivotal role for Nigeria, securing three wickets for just 13 runs in four overs. Her all-around contribution included scoring 19 runs from 17 balls, earning her the well-deserved Player of The Match award. Nigeria posted a total of 49 runs for four wickets in 10.3 overs.
Reflecting on her performance, Agboya credited her teammates, stating, “Thanks to my teammates I was able to achieve this. Hopefully, we will continue to get better as we progress in the game.”
Nigeria now occupies the second spot in Group B with two points from two games. Their upcoming clash against hosts Uganda on Thursday is pivotal, as the top two teams in the group secure semi-final berths, with the finalists earning the coveted qualification for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
