Just two points separates first and last in the ICC Women’s Challenge Trophy after the first two matchdays of the new competition.
USA (one match, one win) remain the only team yet to taste defeat ahead of Tuesday’s resumption, with those to play two matches – Rwanda, Nepal and Italy – beginning with a win and a defeat.
Vanuatu, whose only appearance thus far ended in a defeat to the hosts, take on USA on matchday three as they aim to open their account.
Organized by the International Cricket Council, the ICC Women’s Challenge Trophy is designed to provide competitive international exposure for developing cricket nations.
Nepal denied Italy’s hopes to go two from two to begin the tournament, with Indu Barma’s side claiming an attention-grabbing 50-run win to round out weekend proceedings.
Former U19 Women’s T20 World Cup captain Puja Mahato was the standout with the bat, making a measured 48 not out, before Rubina Chhetry turned the screws with the ball, taking 4/4 in 2.4 overs.
Held in Kigali, the Challenge Trophy is one of the new events added by the ICC to the international calendar to provide more exposure to Associate Members, along with the Emerging Nations Trophy, the inaugural edition of which was held last November. It features the highest placed team from each of the ICC’s five regions to not feature in the Emerging Nations Trophy.
The Gahanga Cricket Stadium’s two adjoining grounds are hosting the tournament. All five teams confirmed their participation through their finishing positions in the regional Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifiers in 2025.
USA got off to a winning start in the ICC Women’s T20 Challenge Trophy as they clinched a 44-run triumph over Nepal.
A double round-robin event, the tournament runs until May 2, with the aim of providing a high level of match exposure, and to prepare teams to play stronger opponents as the ICC looks to expand the horizon of the women’s game, a high priority of the world body.
It comes as the Women’s T20 World Cup expands to 12 teams in 2026, with the ICC Board in 2024 also confirming that the Women’s T20 World Cup of 2030 will feature 16 teams.
Watch the highlights as Italy beat Rwanda by 16 runs (DLS method) at the ICC Women’s T20I Challenge Trophy 2026.
Having featured at the last Global Qualifier for the Women’s T20 World Cup in January and February, Nepal and the USA came into the tournament as the teams to beat, with the former also the highest-ranked team at 21st in the ICC Women’s T20I Team Rankings.
While Vanuatu come into the team the lowest-ranked at 30th, the side beat 20th-ranked Indonesia in the last East Asia-Pacific T20 World Cup Qualifier in Fiji last year, on their way to securing a spot at the upcoming tournament.
All matches will take place at Gahanga Cricket Stadiums’ two grounds in Kigali.
The tournament focuses on strengthening women’s cricket globally by offering more match opportunities, improving performance standards, and helping teams progress toward elite ICC competitions.
Alongside Rwanda, participating nations include Nepal, United States, Vanuatu, and Italy.
All competing teams are classified as Associate Members of the ICC, reflecting their developing status in international cricket.
The tournament will follow a round-robin format, with each team playing home-and-away fixtures against one another.
The top-performing sides will advance to the final, offering a pathway toward higher-tier competitions such as ICC Global Qualifiers.
Globally, women’s cricket continues to be dominated by Full Member nations including Australia, England, India, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Among the teams competing in Kigali, Nepal enters as the highest-ranked side, followed by the United States, Vanuatu, Italy, and hosts Rwanda.
Speaking ahead of the tournament, the Rwanda Cricket Association’s General Manager, Byiringiro Emmanuel, highlighted the importance of hosting the competition:
“Hosting this tournament is a great honor for us. The fact that this is the first edition and that it will be held in Rwanda reflects the trust the ICC has in our ability to organize international competitions.”
He added that the tournament presents a valuable benchmark for Rwanda’s national team.
“All participating teams are strong and ranked above Rwanda. This competition will be a good test for us.”
Byiringiro also noted that the national team is well-prepared, having recently competed in a tournament in Nigeria where they delivered strong performances, boosting confidence ahead of the Challenge Trophy.
The two-week tournament is expected to not only showcase emerging talent but also elevate the profile of women’s cricket in Rwanda and beyond, reinforcing the country’s growing reputation as a host of international sporting events.
