By Innocent Ndawula
Kwibuka Women's Twenty20 Tournament
Results - Wednesday, June 19
Game Three
Mali 11/10 (Oumou Sow 3; Nunu Omary Tindo 3/1 in 3.3 overs, Tabu Said Omary 3/3 in 3 overs) lost to Tanzania 14/0 (Monica Pascal 11*; Tenin Konata 0/14 in 0.4 overs) by 10 wickets
Game Four
Uganda 91/6 (Esther Iloku 31*, Damalie Busingye 28; Diane Marie Bimenyimana 2/19 in 4 overs, Margueritte Vumuliya 1/6 in 4 overs) beat Rwanda 61/10 (Diane Ishimwe Dusabemungu 13, Margueritte Vumuliya 11; Stephanie Nampiina 3/17 in 4 overs, Mildred Anyigo 2/5 in 2.5 overs) by 30 runs
Fixtures - Thursday, June 20
10.30am: Uganda vs. Mali
2.50pm: Rwanda vs. Tanzania
The sixth edition of the Kwibuka Women’s Twenty20 Tournament came alive on Day Two at the beautiful Gahanga International Stadium in Rwanda. Mali’s tough initiation to the big stage continued as they suffered another 10-wicket annihilation to Tanzania but Uganda managed to get their campaign off the mark in clinical fashion with 30-run win over hosts Rwanda.
Two in two for Tanzania
Batting first, Mali played out a whole 15.3 overs but could unfortunately muster only 11 runs. Unlike against Rwanda on the opening day, there weren’t 10 ducks this time round as three of the West Africa nation’s batters got the scoreboard ticking.
Oumou Sow played out 20 balls for her three runs, Aissata Sangare (2 off 22) and Mariam Samake (1 off 7) got the monkey off their backs but Mali were still left at crossroads by Nunu Omary Tindo (3/1 in 3.3 overs) and Tabu Said Omary (3/3 in 3 overs).
And like in the match of records on Day One, it took Tanzania just four balls to cross the finishing line with Monica Pascal (11*) hitting two boundaries in her three-ball cameo off the bowling off Tenin Konata, who ended with expensive figures of 0/14 in 0.4 overs.
Such was Mali’s progression from 6 all-out to 11 all-out, they will be looking to pick quick lessons and continue their learning curve for the rest of the tournament.
Uganda fightback
Coach Michael Grace Ndiko rang the changes and duly got the response as the Lady Cricket Cranes rallied from a painful five-runs loss to Tanzania on the opening day to defeat Rwanda on Day Two.
Vice-captain Immaculate Nakisuuyi, opening bowler Evelyne Anyipo and wicket-keeper Maria Kagoya were rested by coaches Ndiko and Ivan Kakande.
But their stern action of ‘benching the senior players’ were justified when debutants Gloria Obukour, Mildred Anyigo and Christine Anayo punched their weight and helped Uganda, who are eyeing only their third title since the tourney’s initiation in 2014, to get their first triumph.
Obukour fell for four runs off four balls and bowled two overs for one run including a maiden, Anyigo was fiery with new ball registering figures of 2 for 5 in 2.3 overs - snaring the last wicket during Rwanda’s vain chase in the process and Anayo showed her all-round abilities (1* & 0/8 in 2 overs) to help swing the game in Uganda’s favour.
Iloku moment
But none of the three debutants scooped the Player of the Match award. It was, however, one of their own from the Soroti Cricket Academy stable – Esther Iluko – that notched the honours.
After scoring 36 runs on her Twenty20 International debut against Tanzania, Iluko garnered an unbeaten 31 off 35 balls, ably supporting opening Damalie Busingye (28 off 42), to help Uganda set 91 for 6 in 20 overs. Iluko also expertly kept wickets on the day.
Rwanda, who featured in a 10-wicket record-win over Mali on Day One, never got going as they were quickly stifled at 8 for 5 in 7.4 overs. Wickets continued to tumble thanks to leg-spinner Stephanie Nampiina (3/17 in 4 overs) and Susan Kakai (1/10 in 3 over), and it was only Diane Ishimwe Dusabemungu (13) and Margueritte Vumuliya (11) that reached double figures.
Uganda will be anxious to continue the ruthless winning mode against Mali in their third fixture. The tournament is played on a two-round robin basis thus the nation with most points at the end will be champions, and has International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 International ranking status.
