The Nigeria Female YellowGreens endured a mixed day at the ongoing Kwibuka Women’s T20 Tournament in Kigali, Rwanda, suffering a morning defeat to Brazil before producing a strong response with a convincing seven-wicket victory over Zimbabwe Women High Performance later in the day.
In the first match, Nigeria won the toss and elected to bat, posting 111/6 from their 20 overs. Shola Adekunle led the batting effort with a patient 38 off 44 deliveries, while Salome Sunday added 25 runs and Esther Sandy remained unbeaten on 15.
Brazil’s bowlers kept the pressure on throughout the innings, with Maria Eduarda McGahey Ribeiro claiming three wickets to help restrict Nigeria to a manageable total.
Chasing 112 for victory, Brazil reached the target in 18.2 overs with seven wickets in hand. Lindsay Vilas Boas top-scored with 35, while Laura Agatha contributed 26. Nigeria’s wickets were shared by Christabel Chukwuonye, Shola Adekunle and captain Favour Eseigbe.
The Female YellowGreens, however, showed impressive resilience in their second fixture of the day against Zimbabwe Women High Performance.
After Zimbabwe HP elected to bat first, Nigeria’s bowlers delivered a disciplined performance to dismiss their opponents for 107 in 19 overs. Captain Favour Eseigbe led by example with outstanding figures of 3/17, while Lilian Ude and Christabel Chukwuonye picked up two wickets each. Racheal Samson also claimed two wickets as the YellowGreens maintained control throughout the innings.
In reply, Nigeria comfortably chased down the target, reaching 108/3 in 17.4 overs. Salome Sunday anchored the chase with an unbeaten 34, Esther Sandy added 25, while Oseyende Omonkhobhio provided a late burst of power, smashing an unbeaten 14 off just four deliveries, including two sixes.
Despite the setback against Brazil, the Female YellowGreens demonstrated character and determination by bouncing back strongly to secure an important victory in their second outing.
The day’s performances were highlighted by Favour Eseigbe’s leadership with the ball, Salome Sunday’s consistency with the bat across both matches, and several valuable contributions from the squad as Nigeria continued to build momentum in the competition.
The result leaves the Female YellowGreens optimistic ahead of their next challenge as they continue their Kwibuka Women’s T20I campaign. Nigeria will face hosts Rwanda on Friday at the Gahanga Oval A, with the match scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m.
