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Rwanda Hosts Inaugural ICC Women's T20I Challenge Trophy From April 18

Rwanda is set to host the inaugural ICC Women's T20I Challenge Trophy, beginning on April 18 at the Gahanga Cricket Stadium in Kigali. The five-team tournament features associate nations Rwanda, Italy, Nepal, the USA, and Vanuatu, who qualified via regional T20 World Cup qualifiers. Designed as a double round-robin, the event aims to provide competitive exposure and strengthen development pathways for women's cricket. The tournament coincides with the ICC's global expansion of the Women's T20 World Cup, which will grow to 12 teams in 2026.

Key Points: ICC Women's T20I Challenge Trophy Begins in Rwanda

  • Five-team tournament for associate nations
  • Part of ICC's pathway expansion
  • Nepal and USA are early favorites
  • Matches run from April 18 to May 2
3 min read

Rwanda to host inaugural ICC Women's T20I Challenge Trophy from April 18

The inaugural ICC Women's T20I Challenge Trophy starts April 18 in Rwanda, featuring five associate nations competing for growth and exposure.

"a valuable platform to gain competitive international exposure - ICC"

Kigali, April 17

Kigali is set to witness a significant step forward in the growth of women's cricket as the International Cricket Council launched the inaugural Women's T20I Challenge Trophy, set to start on April 18 in Rwanda.

The five-team tournament will open with hosts Rwanda taking on Italy, while Nepal face the United States on the same day. Vanuatu, the fifth side in the competition, will begin their campaign on April 19 against Rwanda after a first-day bye. Matches will be played across two adjoining grounds at the Gahanga Cricket Stadium.

Designed as a double round-robin event, the tournament will run until May 2, offering participating teams a valuable platform to gain competitive international exposure, according to ICC.

The competition is part of ICC's broader initiative to strengthen pathways for Associate Member nations, complementing other events such as the Emerging Nations Trophy introduced last year.

The participating teams earned their spots through strong performances in the 2025 regional Women's T20 World Cup Qualifiers, with each side representing one of the ICC's five regions and narrowly missing out on qualification for the Emerging Nations Trophy.

Nepal and the USA enter the tournament as early favourites, having featured in the recent Women's T20 World Cup Global Qualifier earlier this year. Nepal, currently ranked 21st in the ICC Women's T20I rankings, are the highest-ranked side in the competition.

Meanwhile, Vanuatu could prove to be a dark horse. Ranked 30th, they showcased their potential by defeating higher-ranked Indonesia during the East Asia-Pacific Qualifier in Fiji, securing their place in this tournament.

The Challenge Trophy comes at a time when women's cricket is undergoing rapid expansion globally. The Women's T20 World Cup is set to grow to 12 teams in 2026, with further expansion to 16 teams confirmed for the 2030 edition.

ICC Women's T20I Challenge Trophy - Schedule

April 189:00 am - Rwanda vs Italy1:00 pm - Nepal vs USA

April 199:00 am - Rwanda vs Vanuatu1:00 pm - Italy vs Nepal

April 219:00 am - Rwanda vs USA1:00 pm - Vanuatu vs Italy

April 229:00 am - Rwanda vs Nepal1:00 pm - USA vs Vanuatu

April 249:00 am - Nepal vs Vanuatu1:00 pm - Italy vs USA

April 269:00 am - Rwanda vs Vanuatu1:00 pm - USA vs Nepal

April 279:00 am - Rwanda vs Italy1:00 pm - USA vs Vanuatu

April 289:00 am - Rwanda vs Nepal1:00 pm - Italy vs Vanuatu

April 39:00 am - Italy vs USA1:00 pm - Nepal vs Vanuatu

May 19:00 am - Rwanda vs USA1:00 pm - Italy vs Nepal

All matches will take place at Gahanga Cricket Stadium's two grounds in Kigali.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Good initiative. Nepal being the highest-ranked team here shows how competitive the subcontinent is in cricket, even beyond the main teams. Hope they win it! More such tournaments will only improve the standard worldwide.
A
Aman W
While this is a positive step, I do hope the ICC ensures proper facilities and broadcast quality. Sometimes these tournaments for smaller nations don't get the visibility they deserve. The players work just as hard.
S
Sarah B
Interesting to see the USA team here. Cricket is really trying to grow in non-traditional markets. With the 2028 Olympics in LA, such tournaments are crucial for building a player base. Good luck to all!
V
Vikram M
Rwanda hosting is a big deal for African cricket. The continent needs more cricket infrastructure. Maybe someday we'll see an African team challenge the top sides in women's cricket too. The expansion to 16 teams in 2030 is the right direction.
K
Kavya N
As a woman who loves cricket, this makes me so happy! More girls around the world will be inspired to pick up the bat. Jai ho women's cricket! 🙌 Hope the matches are streamed online so we can watch.

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