The Captains of participating women’s cricket teams
Rwanda is hosting the International Cricket Council (ICC) under 19 Women’s T20 World Cup Africa Division 2 qualifiers which kicked off this Wednesday, August 21 and run through August 27, 2024.
The tournament, to be played on a round-robin basis, features seven teams of cricketers from Kenya, Mozambique, Lesotho, Botswana, Malawi, Eswatini, and Sierra Leone.
Participating Team Captains pose with the trophy at Gahanga Cricket Ground ahead of the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup Africa Division 2 qualifiers
At the end of the competition, the top two teams will progress to the next stage, where they will compete for the single qualifying spot at the 2025 ICC U-19 Women’s Cricket World Cup in Malaysia and Thailand.
These will face ICC full member Zimbabwe and Africa’s top women’s cricket teams from Namibia, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, and the host nation, Rwanda.
Rwanda cricket federation president, Stephen Musaale welcomes all participating nations
Rwanda Cricket Association President Stephen Musaale expressed his excitement about hosting the qualifiers, emphasizing Rwanda’s commitment to fostering the sport.
“Hosting such tournaments is always an honor for Rwanda as it reflects the ICC’s trust in us,” said Musaale. “It also presents an opportunity to grow our fanbase and attract more public and corporate support.”
He extended a warm welcome to all participating nations and officials, anticipating a gripping contest.
Botswana’s U19 Women head coach says they are ready to compete for the two slots that guarantee qualification to the next stages.
During the pre-tournament press conference, Kenya’s U19 captain Melvin Khagoitsa shared her confidence in her team’s experience, stating, “We have several seasoned players in our squad and have prepared well for this tournament, so we are confident in our ability to compete.”
In 2022, Rwanda made headlines by beating Uganda in the qualifiers, securing a spot in the 2023 ICC U-19 Women’s World Cup in South Africa.
