Cricket: Kenya halt losing streak against Rwanda

Once unthinkable, Rwanda has emerged as a formidable competitor to Kenya in women’s cricket, a shift attributed to Kenya’s weak cricket structure and lack of support.

The decline in Kenya’s women’s cricket has been troubling, making the 22-run victory over Rwanda in the second match of their T20 women’s bilateral series in Kigali, a significant relief for coach Maurice Ouma and his team, who entered the match at Gahanga Cricket Stadium “B” with five straight T20 losses to Rwanda.

In September, Kenya faced Rwanda five times in Nairobi, managing only one victory as Rwanda claimed the series 4-1. Rwanda continued its streak with a 40-run win in the first match of the current series in Kigali on Tuesday.

However, a four-wicket haul from Kenyan all-rounder Queentor Abel helped end the losing streak in the second game.

Kenya batted first after winning the toss, setting a target of 95 runs for the loss of seven wickets in 20 overs. Rwanda was bowled out for 73 runs in 17.4 overs.

Kenya’s batting remains a challenge, as Esther Wachira’s 20 runs off 35 balls was the team’s highest score, followed by lower-order batter Janet Ntheya with 12 runs. In Monday’s game, Abel had been Kenya’s top scorer with 21 runs.

Pearlyne Omamo, Director of Women’s Cricket at Cricket Kenya (CK), remarked that the win underscores Kenya’s potential in women’s cricket.

She stressed that with solid preparation, Kenya can re-establish itself as a regional powerhouse, adding that Kenya’s underperformance is due to the absence of a vibrant women’s league, unlike Uganda and Rwanda.

Omamo highlighted that Kenya’s players often compete in the men’s Nairobi Provincial Cricket Association Division III League to stay active.

She added that CK will now focus on the upcoming 2027 ICC World Cup qualifiers, with the Rwanda series serving as part of these preparations. Moving forward, funds will be allocated to strengthen the local women’s league rather than multiple tours.

“What we lack is self-belief, and it all goes back to preparations,” Omamo stated. “Since we have been struggling with preparations, we have agreed that we need to go back to the basics, lower our expectations for the year, and build structures to identify and nurture talent.”