It’s Nigeria, Rwanda Five-nation Invitational Women’s WT2i Tournament Final

Duro Ikhazuagbe

Host, Nigeria set up a tantalising final clash with all-conquering Rwandan women’s team at the Five-nation Invitational Women’s WT2i Tournament ending today in Lagos.

To reach the final,  Nigeria defeated South Africa’s U-19 women’s team by 7 wickets to set up a mouth-watering final against Rwanda.

With the last blockbuster game still fresh in the minds of both teams where it was decided by Super Over, South Africa chose the same route by winning the toss and electing to bat first.

No one on the TBS Cricket Oval would have envisaged the scoreline in the opening exchange as South Africa Women’s U-19 team were 5 wickets down for 6 runs in 3.4 overs.

At the end of the batting power play of 6 overs, the South African women were on 16 runs for the loss of 5 wickets.

At the end of 10 overs, South Africa could only manage 33 runs for the loss of 6 wickets. Ashley Barnard scored 15 runs off 30 balls, supported by Daneli Boshoff 16 runs off 12 balls, Jae Leigh Filander with 13 runs off 23 balls, were the best figures with the bat for South Africa Women’s U-19.

Nigeria’s Ude Lilian led the wicket haul for the hosts country with 3 wickets, conceding 6 runs in 4 overs, while Peace Usen got 2 wickets, conceding 18 runs in 4 overs as the best bowling contribution from team Nigeria bowlers.

In the end, South Africa Women’s U-19 could only manage a meager score of 66 runs all out in 17 overs.

In the second innings, Nigeria approached the run chase with a measured performance, scoring the required run rate per over. Nigeria lost Victory Igbinedion 1 ball before the end of batting power play, who scored 18 runs off 12 balls leaving Nigeria on 33 runs.

The introduction of Captain Lucky Piety for Nigeria was like nothing changed.  She struck 2 maximums off her first 2 deliveries to squash any potential contest from team South Africa.

 In the end, Nigeria made light work of the run chase by scoring the required total of 67 runs for the loss of 3 wickets in 9.5 overs.

Piety finished with 18 runs off 8 balls, supported by Amusan Kehinde with 15 runs off 31 balls. Lilian Ude was named player of the match.

In the other semifinal, Rwanda defeated

Zimbabwe by 5 wickets to qualify for the final.

Rwanda had too much firepower for Zimbabwe Women’s U-19 as they did just enough to cross the finish line in the last over by scoring the required total of 136 runs for the loss of 5wickets in 19.2 overs.

Captain Marie Diane Bimenyinmana scored 34 runs off 41 balls as part of the best batting statistics for Rwanda.

Expectedly, Bimenyinmana was named Player of the Match.