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