Challenge League A: Tournament highlights repeat clash

Repeat matchup to look out for in 2024-2026 ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League A

The 2024-2026 ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League A will only see one repeat matchup from the previous 2019-2022 cycle.

The tie will involve hosts Kenya and Jersey, who met in the inaugural edition of the Challenge League last time out.

How did they fair?

Pitted in League B, the first meeting between the two nations was on 10 March 2019, when Kenya triumphed over Jersey by four wickets.

Jersey, who elected to bat first, scored 233 for the loss of five wickets, with Kenya overhauling the target following an impressive century from Rakep Patel.

The second match between the two teams was on 20 June 2022 in Kampala, where Jersey turned the tables and beat Kenya by 96 runs.

Jersey, who once again elected to bat first, scored 375 and restricted Kenya to 179  in 41 overs, thanks to five wickets from Anthony Hawkins-Kay.

The third matchup was on 14 August 2022 in Grainville, St. Saviour, where the hosts, Jersey, fell to a four wickets loss to Kenya.

Jersey set up a 172-run total that was eclipsed by the visitors after 42.4 overs, breaking the tie-break between the two nations.

And whilst Jersey won the group and proceeded to the playoffs, their journey has now led them back to the Challenge League this year.

Cue another date with Kenya, who will now host the first matchup on Day One – 25 September.

 

New look Kenya Women's team to face Rwanda Women

The Kenya Women's Cricket team have made a flurry of changes as they gear up to face Rwanda Women in n a five match T20I bilateral series next week.

Charity Muthoni will captain the side, replacing Esther Wachira who took on the reigns at the 2023 Kwibuka Women's tournament after Sharon Juma's retirement two months prior. Just nineteen months into her career, Muthoni achieves the feat on the backdrop of promising performances over the past eight months. Promoted to the top of the order, Muthoni made her maiden half century at the 2024 Kwibuka Women's  tournament  in June, while simultaneously recording her highest T20I score in the same match (64.) The Wicket keeper has 28 matches under her cap for the national side.

The series will also see six of the Kenya Women's U - 19 girls who just returned from the Division II Africa Qualifier make it to the Senior side. Janet Nthenya, Awe Wambua, Zainab Hamisi and Rael Kaibunga will be looking to use the series to beef up preparations for the ICC U19 Women's T20 CWC Africa Division 1 Qualifier in Rwanda from 22nd September 2024. 

Melvin Khagoitsa who captained the victorious U19 side takes her place as Vice Captain in the Senior side. Khagoitsa emerged the tournament's MVP with 9 wickets and a top run sheet of 338 runs from 6 innings.

U19 centurion Kreeshna Mehta, who scored 288 runs in the recently concluded Qualifier makes it back to the side after missing out on the 2024 Kwibuka Women's tournament while opening bowler Lavenda Alivitsa, Veronica Abuga, Mercy Ahono and Kelvia Ogola have been left out of the side. 

SQUAD

  1. Esther Wachira
  2. Charity Muthoni (C/WK)
  3. Queentor Abel
  4. Melvin Khagoitsa (VC)
  5. Kreeshna Mehta
  6. Venasa Adhiambo
  7. Jemimah Ndanu
  8. Flavia Odhiambo
  9. Janet Nthenya
  10. Awe Wambua
  11. Zainab Hamisi
  12. Ann Wanjira
  13. Rael Kaibunga
  14. Judith Ojiambo

Cricket Kenya host Rwanda Women for T20I bilateral series

Cricket Kenya will host Rwanda Women in a T20i bilateral series with the Senior Women’s team in what is pitted to be a nail biting contest. This will be the first time the two teams face off in a bilateral series on the backdrop of par results in previous contests across the continent.

The two teams have faced off 8 times in the last three years in Women’s T20Is with a 4:4 win ratio across the board. Kenya Women will be looking to utilize home advantage to set another extended win record against their opponents, having won only once in their last five encounters, this coming earlier in the year in the All Africa Games in Accra, Ghana where they beat Rwanda by 7 wickets.

The five – match series will be staged at the Sikh Union Sports Club grounds with the first match set for Tuesday, 10th September at 10:30 am.

FIXTURES

TUESDAY 1O/09/2024 - 10:30 AM - Kenya vs Rwanda

WEDNESDAY 11/09/2024 -9:30 AM - Rwanda vs Kenya 

WEDNESDAY 11/09/2024 -2:00 AM - Kenya vs Rwanda

FRIDAY 13/09/2024 - 10:30 AM - Rwanda vs Kenya

SATURDAY 14/09/2024 - 2:30 PM - Kenya vs Rwanda