TZ ladies clinch cricket title
DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIA Women emerged victorious in the Kwibuka Women’s T20 competition, defeating Zimbabwe Women High Performance XI by 32 runs to claim the coveted title at the Gahanga International Cricket Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda.
The match proved to be a dramatic and satisfying redemption for Tanzania, who had previously lost to Zimbabwe by nine wickets in the round-robin stage of the tournament.
The Kwibuka WT20, hosted in Rwanda, saw nine nations competing for the championship, including Tanzania, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Brazil, Malawi, Sierra Leone and Cameroon.
Batting first in the final, Tanzania posted a modest total of 99 for six in their 20 overs. The innings was built on crucial contributions from middleorder batters Hudaa Omary (28 off 42 balls) and Agnes Qwele (30 off 37 balls), who formed a vital partnership to steer their side to a total that would prove just enough.
Despite early wickets, including the dismissals of openers Fatuma Kibasu (14) and Neema Pius (5), Omary and Qwele added 54 runs for the fifth wicket, which formed the backbone of their total.
The Zimbabwe bowlers, led by Michelle Mavunga (2 for 23) and Nomvelo Sibanda (1 for 22), were disciplined throughout, but Tanzania’s middle-order showed resilience, although they lost wickets at regular intervals.
The Tanzanian innings also suffered from a few unfortunate run-outs, but they managed to reach 99 after 20 overs, with 11 extras contributing significantly to their total. In response, Zimbabwe’s chase started in a disastrous fashion.
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Agnes Qwele struck early, removing opener Chiedza Dhururu (1) in the first over and Mwanamvua Ushanga then took charge with a matchwinning performance, claiming 4 for 12.
Zimbabwe struggled to recover from the early blows, with Loreen Tshuma (0) and Christabel Chatonzwa (7) both falling cheaply.
The chase continued to falter as Ushanga and fellow bowlers Neema Pius (2 for 8) and Sophia Jerome (2 for 18) restricted the flow of runs, regularly taking wickets.
The Zimbabwean middle order collapsed under pressure, with notable dismissals including Loryn Phiri (1), Vimbai Mutungwindu (0), Nomvelo Sibanda (6), and Michelle Mavunga (0). At 51 for 7, Zimbabwe’s hopes of a recovery looked increasingly slim.
The only resistance came from Nyasha Gwanzura, who batted through the innings and remained unbeaten on 45 off 54 balls, including two boundaries and two sixes. However, she was left stranded as wickets continued to fall around her.
Zimbabwe were eventually bowled out for 67 in 19.4 overs, handing Tanzania a comfortable 32-run victory and the title.
This win not only secured Tanzania’s second Kwibuka WT20 title but also served as a sweet revenge for their earlier loss to Zimbabwe in the roundrobin phase.
