Rwanda Edge SA u19 Women in Rain-Affected Clash in the Patricia Kambarami Cup
LAGOS: Rwanda claimed a thrilling one-run victory over the South Africa Under-19 Women in their rain-affected encounter at the Patricia Kambarami Cup in Lagos on Sunday.
Clarisse Umutoniwase top-scored for Rwanda with 26 off 21 balls, while Fanny Utagushimaninde added 24 to help their side post 101/7 in 14 overs. South Africa then fell agonisingly short in the chase despite a fighting 34 from captain Mieke van Voorst.
After winning the toss and electing to bat first, Rwanda lost two early wickets in the powerplay, with Ashleigh van Wyk (2/22) and Miya Lalor (2/25) making the initial breakthroughs to leave the opposition on 17/2 in the third over. A crucial partnership between Utagushimaninde and Umutoniwase then helped Rwanda recover.
The pair added 30 runs for the third wicket to move Rwanda to 47/2 before Daneli Boshoff (2/19) claimed two wickets, while Jezé Campher (1/10) and Van Wyk also struck to reduce the Rwandans to 81/6 in the closing stages of the innings.
An important late contribution from Shakira Muhoza (13) and Alice Ikuzwe (6), worth 19 runs, helped Rwanda reach the 100-run mark. The side in blue eventually closed on 101/7, with Muhoza becoming Lalor’s second wicket of the match.
In reply, South Africa made a measured start through openers Ashley Barnard (21) and Boshoff (7), reaching 29/0 after four overs before Boshoff was stumped off the bowling of Ikuzwe (2/21).
Despite that breakthrough, the SA U19 Women continued to apply pressure, with Campher (13) and Barnard guiding the South Africans to 45/1 after six overs before Rwanda hit back with two quick wickets.
Diane Bimenyimana (1/16) and Rosine Irera (1/17) then bowled Barnard and Campher respectively, before Van Voorst and Van Wyk (10) combined in a 39-run stand for the fourth wicket to keep South Africa firmly in contention.
With South Africa on 92/3 in the penultimate over, Rwanda held their nerve under pressure. Ikuzwe claimed the key wicket of Van Wyk before Bimenyimana conceded just seven runs in the final over to seal a narrow victory and move Rwanda to the top of the league standings.
The SA U19 Women will be back in action on Tuesday, 24 March, when they face Zimbabwe Under-19 Women at the TBS Cricket Oval.
SA U19 Women Squad:
Ashley Barnard (Mpumalanga), Daneli Boshoff (Boland), Jezé Campher (SWD). Jae-Leigh Filander (Western Province), Bruzaan Goosen (Eastern Storm), Miya Lalor (Western Province), Siphokuhle Masilela (Eastern Storm), Ziya Mohanlall (KZN Coastal), Kananelo Mokoena (Eastern Storm), Shelfa Mukhari (Limpopo), Rethabile Nthoba (Free State), Mieke van Voorst (Eastern Storm), Ashleigh van Wyk (Eastern Storm), Chanel Venter (Titans), Cayleigh Wanckel (Border)
SA U19 Women’s Fixtures – NCF Women’s T20I Invitational 2026
South Africa U19 won by 99 runs
SA U19: 168/4 after 20 overs; M. van Voorst 50 (34), S. Masilela 37 (44); K. Awuah 2/22, E. Sagoe 1/26
Ghana: 69 all out after 19.3 overs; K. Awuah 12 (18), R. Salia 12 (29); M. van Voorst 3/1, Z. Mohanlall 2/19
Rwanda won by 1 run
Rwanda: 101/7 after 14 overs; C. Umutoniwase 26 (21), F. Utagushimaninde 24 (25); D. Boshoff 2/19, A. van Wyk 2/22
SA U19: 100/4 after 14 overs; M. van Voorst 34 (27), A. Bernard 21 (15); A. Ikuzwe 2/21, D. Bimenyimana 1/16
Tuesday, 24 March at 11:00
South Africa U19 vs Zimbabwe U19 – TBS Cricket Oval, Lagos
Wednesday, 25 March at 11:00
Nigeria vs South Africa U19 – TBS Cricket Oval, Lagos
Friday, 27 March at 11:00
Semi-final 1 – TBS Cricket Oval, Lagos
Friday, 27 March at 15:00
Semi-final 2 – TBS Cricket Oval, Lagos
Saturday, 28 March at 11:00
Third-place Playoff – TBS Cricket Oval, Lagos
Saturday, 28 March at 15:00
Final – TBS Cricket Oval, Lagos
Issued by: Cricket South Africa – Corporate Communications
