Nigeria’s senior women’s cricket team secured a dramatic five-run victory over defending champions Uganda on Wednesday at the ongoing Kwibuka Women’s Cricket Tournament in Kigali, Rwanda.
In what proved to be a low-scoring encounter, Nigeria ended Uganda’s six-match winning streak, sending fans into jubilation as they snatched a late win.
Uganda won the toss and elected to field at the Gahanga A Oval. Nigerian all-rounder Kehinde Amusa once again stood out, top-scoring with 33 runs from 54 balls. She was ably supported by Salome Sunday, who contributed 14 runs off 25 deliveries, though the rest of the batting line-up struggled to build on the momentum. Nigeria were eventually restricted to 73 for 9 in their allotted 20 overs.
In the second innings, Uganda appeared poised to chase down the modest target with relative ease until the closing overs, when Nigerian bowlers turned the tide.
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With just six runs required from the final 12 balls and four wickets in hand, Lilan Ude was handed the penultimate over. She produced a maiden over and claimed a crucial wicket, shifting momentum back in Nigeria’s favour.
In the final over, Anointed Akhigbe delivered a stunning spell, taking three wickets to bowl out Uganda for 68, sealing a five-run win for Nigeria.
Reacting after the match, Nigeria’s captain, Favour Eseigbe, said her team stuck to their strategy despite the pressure.
“We had a low total to defend, and at one point it seemed like the game was slipping away. I told my players that ‘he who is down should not be afraid of falling’. We had nothing to lose, so we focused on the basics, and it paid off,” Eseigbe said.
Ugandan captain, Janet Mbabazi, acknowledged Nigeria’s fighting spirit and expressed confidence in her team’s return.
“It looked like a target we could chase, but sometimes things just don’t go your way. Congratulations to Nigeria. We will come back stronger,” Mbabazi said.
