Nepal Secures Hard-Fought Victory Over Rwanda in ICC Women's T20 Challenge Trophy

Kigali. Nepal has secured its second consecutive victory in the ICC Women's T20 Challenge Trophy. In a closely contested match on Wednesday, Nepal defeated Rwanda by 2 wickets.

Chasing a target of 89 runs set by Rwanda, Nepal reached the goal in 19.4 overs for the loss of 8 wickets. Nepal had previously lost to the USA by 44 runs in their opening match but made a comeback in their second game by defeating Italy by 50 runs.

Samjhana Khadka led the charge for Nepal with a brilliant 48 runs off 42 balls, including 7 boundaries. She shared a half-century partnership with fellow opener Bindu Rawal, who contributed 10 runs before returning to the pavilion.

Captain Indu Barma was run out for just 1 run, while Kabita Kunwar and Kabita Joshi could not make significant contributions. After Pooja Mahato departed for 13 runs off 20 balls, Rubi Poddar was also dismissed cheaply.

Rubina Chhetry managed only 2 runs. In the final moments, Rachana Chaudhary added 3 runs to guide Nepal to victory. For Rwanda, Geovanis Uwase took 3 wickets for 14 runs in 4 overs, while Gisele Ishimwe and Henriette Ishimwe claimed 2 wickets each.

Earlier, after winning the toss and choosing to bat at the Gahanga Cricket Stadium, Rwanda was bowled out for 88 runs in 19.4 overs. Alice Ikuzwe was the top scorer for the team with 17 runs off 31 balls, hitting 1 boundary.

Similarly, wicketkeeper Merveille Uwase scored 15 runs and Clarisse Uwase added 13 runs. Towards the end of the innings, Rosine Irera contributed 12 runs. No other batter reached double digits.

For Nepal, Rachana Chaudhary took 3 wickets for 12 runs in 3 overs. Kabita Kunwar and Pooja Mahato took 2 wickets each, while Manisha Upadhyaya and Riya Sharma claimed 1 wicket each.

Following today's match, Nepal is scheduled to play against Vanuatu on Friday and the USA on Sunday. Subsequently, they are set to face Rwanda again on April 28, Vanuatu on April 30, and their final match against Italy on May 1.

The Challenge Trophy tournament will continue in Rwanda until May 1. The participants in the Challenge Trophy include the USA from America, Nepal from Asia, Italy from Europe, Vanuatu from East Asia, and the host nation Rwanda from Africa.