2026 Women's Challenge Trophy

2026 Women's Challenge Trophy

Official logo of ICC Women's Challenge Trophy
Dates	18 April – 1 May 2026
Administrator	International Cricket Council
Cricket format	Twenty20 International
Tournament format	Double round-robin
Host	Rwanda
Participants	5
Matches	20

The 2026 ICC Women's Challenge Trophy, the inaugural edition of the Women's Challenge Trophy, is a Twenty20 International (T20I) cricket tournament that is taking place from 18 April to 1 May 2026 in Kigali, Rwanda. ^{[1] [2]} The competition is part of the International Cricket Council's (ICC) strategy to promote women's cricket and expand worldwide participation. ^[3] The Challenge Trophy is part of a three-tier system for associate members of the ICC and sits below the Women's Emerging Nations Trophy, which held its first edition in November 2025. ^{[4] [5]}

The tournament is being contested by one team from each of the ICC's five regions, specifically the sides that finished highest in regional qualification for the 2026 Women's T20 World Cup and who did not feature in the 2025 Women's Emerging Nations Trophy. ^[2] The qualified teams are Italy (Europe), Nepal (Asia), Rwanda (Africa), United States (Americas) and Vanuatu (East Asia-Pacific). ^{[6] [7]} Italy are competing in an ICC event outside of Europe for the first time. ^[8]

Squads

Italy [9]	Nepal [10]	Rwanda [11]	United States	Vanuatu
Emilia Bartram (c) Himanshi Daluwatta Ishara Jayamannage (wk) Pasindi Kanankege Alexia Kontopirakis Chathurika Mahamalage Sadalee Malwatta Emma Moore Dilaisha Nanayakkara Kumudu Peddrick Amaya Rajapaksha Methnara Rathnayake (wk) Ilenia Sims Sonia Toffoletto	Indu Barma (c) Puja Mahato (vc) Suman Bist Rachana Chaudhary Rubina Chhetry Kabita Joshi Anu Kadayat Samjhana Khadka Kabita Kunwar Rubi Poddar (wk) Bindu Rawal Riya Sharma Roma Thapa Manisha Upadhayay	Marie Bimenyimana (c) Alice Ikuzwe Flora Irakoze (wk) Rosine Irera Gisele Ishimwe Henriette Ishimwe Belise Murekatete Shakila Niyomuhoza Rosette Shimwamana Clarrisse Umutoniwase Fanny Utagushimaninde Geovanis Uwase Merveille Uwase (wk) Ruth Uwimana	Aditiba Chudasama (c) Jivana Aras Gargi Bhogle Taranum Chopra Nikhar Doshi Pooja Ganesh (wk) Aparna Gurumurthy Sainavi Kambalapalli Maahi Madhavan Chetna Pagydyala Chetnaa Prasad Lekha Shetty Ritu Singh Suhani Thadani Isani Vaghela	Rachel Andrew (c) Alvina Chilia (vc) Gillian Chilia (wk) Melissa Fare Anna Griffin Natalia Kakor Valenta Langiatu Nasimana Navaika Rayline Ova Selina Solman Susan Stephen Mahina Tarimiala (wk) Maselin Thompson Vanessa Vira

Points table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	NR	Pts	NRR
1	United States	6	5	1	0	10	2.511
2	Rwanda	6	4	2	0	8	0.300
3	Nepal	5	2	3	0	4	−0.573
4	Italy	5	2	3	0	4	−1.249
5	Vanuatu	6	1	5	0	2	−1.259

Updated to match(es) played on 27 April 2026. Source: ESPNcricinfo ^[12]

Fixtures

All times are in Central Africa Time (UTC+02:00)

18 April 2026 09:00 Scorecard

Italy   72/1 (11 overs)	v	Rwanda 50/4 (7 overs)
Alexia Kontopirakis 45* (37) Ruth Uwimana 1/12 (2 overs)		Merveille Uwase 12* (10) Ilenia Sims 2/11 (2 overs)

Italy won by 16 runs (DLS method) Gahanga International Cricket Stadium, Kigali Umpires: Ravi Angara (Bot) and Forster Mutizwa (Zim) Player of the match: Alexia Kontopirakis (Ita)

• Rwanda won the toss and elected to field.
• Rwanda were set a revised target of 67 runs in 7 overs due to rain.
• Ruth Uwimana (Rwa) made her T20I debut.

---

18 April 2026 13:00 Scorecard

United States   123/6 (20 overs)	v	Nepal 79/9 (20 overs)
Pooja Ganesh 47 (49) Manisha Upadhayay 2/18 (4 overs)		Bindu Rawal 27 (45) Maahi Madhavan 2/11 (2 overs)

United States won by 44 runs Gahanga International Cricket Stadium, Kigali Umpires: Langton Rusere (Zim) and David Odhiambo (Ken) Player of the match: Pooja Ganesh (USA)

• Nepal won the toss and elected to field.
• Sainavi Kambalapalli (USA) made her T20I debut.

---

19 April 2026 09:00 Scorecard

Rwanda   109/8 (20 overs)	v	Vanuatu 68 (19.3 overs)
Gisele Ishimwe 34 (31) Vanessa Vira 3/8 (4 overs)		Susan Stephen 20 (29) Belise Murekatete 3/6 (3.3 overs)

Rwanda won by 41 runs Gahanga B Ground, Kigali Umpires: Forster Mutizwa (Zim) and Langton Rusere (Zim) Player of the match: Marie Bimenyimana (Rwa)

• Rwanda won the toss and elected to bat.

---

19 April 2026 13:00 Scorecard

Nepal     112/8 (20 overs)	v	Italy 62 (18.4 overs)
Puja Mahato 48* (45) Emilia Bartram 3/21 (3 overs)		Chathurika Mahamalage 22* (46) Rubina Chhetry 4/4 (2.4 overs)

Nepal won by 50 runs Gahanga B Ground, Kigali Umpires: Ravi Angara (Bot) and David Odhiambo (Ken) Player of the match: Rubina Chhetry (Nep)

• Nepal won the toss and elected to bat.

---

21 April 2026 09:00 Scorecard

Rwanda   127/4 (20 overs)	v	United States 126/5 (20 overs)
Gisele Ishimwe 42 (34) Taranum Chopra 2/5 (2 overs)		Gargi Bhogle 35* (35) Henriette Ishimwe 2/20 (4 overs)

Rwanda won by 1 run Gahanga International Cricket Stadium, Kigali Umpires: Ravi Angara (Bot) and Langton Rusere (Zim) Player of the match: Gisele Ishimwe (Rwa)

• Rwanda won the toss and elected to bat.

---

21 April 2026 13:00 Scorecard

Vanuatu   114/6 (20 overs)	v	Italy 115/6 (19.3 overs)
Nasimana Navaika 36 (39) Pasindi Kanankege 1/12 (2 overs)		Ilenia Sims 61* (51) Vanessa Vira 2/13 (4 overs)

Italy won by 4 wickets Gahanga International Cricket Stadium, Kigali Umpires: Ravi Angara (Bot) and David Odhiambo (Ken) Player of the match: Ilenia Sims (Ita)

• Italy won the toss and elected to field.

---

22 April 2026 09:00 Scorecard

Rwanda   88 (19.4 overs)	v	Nepal 89/8 (19.4 overs)
Alice Ikuzwe 17 (31) Rachana Chaudhary 3/12 (3 overs)		Samjhana Khadka 48 (42) Geovanis Uwase 3/14 (4 overs)

Nepal won by 2 wickets Gahanga B Ground, Kigali Umpires: Forster Mutizwa (Zim) and David Odhiambo (Ken) Player of the match: Samjhana Khadka (Nep)

• Rwanda won the toss and elected to bat.

---

22 April 2026 13:00 Scorecard

United States   153/6 (20 overs)	v	Vanuatu 100 (20 overs)
Chetna Pagydyala 81* (61) Vanessa Vira 2/15 (4 overs)		Selina Solman 40 (40) Aditiba Chudasama 4/15 (4 overs)

United States won by 53 runs Gahanga B Ground, Kigali Umpires: Forster Mutizwa (Zim) and Langton Rusere (Zim) Player of the match: Chetna Pagydyala (USA)

• United States won the toss and elected to bat.

---

24 April 2026 09:00 Scorecard

Vanuatu   97/5 (20 overs)	v	Nepal 75 (15.3 overs)
Valenta Langiatu 42 (50) Riya Sharma 2/11 (4 overs)		Samjhana Khadka 24 (19) Vanessa Vira 3/11 (3.3 overs)

Vanuatu won by 22 runs Gahanga International Cricket Stadium, Kigali Umpires: Forster Mutizwa (Zim) and David Odhiambo (Ken) Player of the match: Nasimana Navaika (Van)

• Vanuatu won the toss and elected to bat.

---

24 April 2026 13:00 Scorecard

United States   146/6 (20 overs)	v	Italy 74 (16 overs)
Isani Vaghela 52 (53) Thilini Fernando 4/24 (4 overs)		Emma Moore 27 (31) Maahi Madhavan 2/8 (2 overs)

United States won by 72 runs Gahanga International Cricket Stadium, Kigali Umpires: Ravi Angara (Bot) and David Odhiambo (Ken) Player of the match: Isani Vaghela (USA)

• United States won the toss and elected to bat.
• Nikhar Doshi (USA) made her T20I debut.

---

26 April 2026 09:00 Scorecard

Rwanda   133/5 (20 overs)	v	Vanuatu 130/3 (20 overs)
Merveille Uwase 60 (43) Selina Solman 2/20 (4 overs)		Valenta Langiatu 71* (63) Rosine Irera 1/17 (3 overs)

Rwanda won by 3 runs Gahanga B Ground, Kigali Umpires: Ravi Angara (Bot) and Langton Rusere (Zim) Player of the match: Merveille Uwase (Rwa)

• Rwanda won the toss and elected to bat.

---

26 April 2026 13:00 Scorecard

Nepal     86/6 (20 overs)	v	United States 89/3 (11.5 overs)
Rubi Poddar 51* (51) Maahi Madhavan 2/16 (4 overs)		Isani Vaghela 35* (29) Puja Mahato 1/9 (1 over)

United States won by 7 wickets Gahanga B Ground, Kigali Umpires: Forster Mutizwa (Zim) and Langton Rusere (Zim) Player of the match: Isani Vaghela (USA)

• Nepal won the toss and elected to bat.

---

27 April 2026 09:00 Scorecard

Italy   123/7 (20 overs)	v	Rwanda 126/4 (19.3 overs)
Ilenia Sims 37 (39) Rosine Irera 2/17 (4 overs)		Fanny Utagushimaninde 36 (30) Emma Moore 1/12 (2 overs)

Rwanda won by 6 wickets Gahanga International Cricket Stadium, Kigali Umpires: Forster Mutizwa (Zim) and Langton Rusere (Zim) Player of the match: Fanny Utagushimaninde (Rwa)

• Italy won the toss and elected to bat.

---

27 April 2026 13:00 Scorecard

United States   162/4 (20 overs)	v	Vanuatu 90/8 (20 overs)
Isani Vaghela 54 (41) Vanessa Vira 2/25 (4 overs)		Valenta Langiatu 25 (21) Lekha Shetty 4/16 (4 overs)

United States won by 72 runs Gahanga International Cricket Stadium, Kigali Umpires: Ravi Angara (Bot) and David Odhiambo (Ken) Player of the match: Isani Vaghela (USA)

• United States won the toss and elected to bat.

---

28 April 2026 09:00 Scorecard

Rwanda	v	Nepal

Gahanga B Ground, Kigali

---

28 April 2026 13:00 Scorecard

Italy	v	Vanuatu

Gahanga B Ground, Kigali

---

30 April 2026 09:00 Scorecard

Italy	v	United States

Gahanga International Cricket Stadium, Kigali

---

30 April 2026 13:00 Scorecard

Nepal	v	Vanuatu

Gahanga International Cricket Stadium, Kigali

---

1 May 2026 09:00 Scorecard

Rwanda	v	United States

Gahanga B Ground, Kigali

---

1 May 2026 13:00 Scorecard

Italy	v	Nepal

Gahanga B Ground, Kigali

References

1. "Kigali to host ICC women challenge trophy". The New Times . Retrieved 4 April 2026.
2. "Rwanda to host inaugural ICC Women's Challenge Trophy from April 18". ESPNcricinfo . Retrieved 18 April 2026.
3. "ICC launches new global tournament to promote and expand Women's Cricket around the world". International Cricket Council . Retrieved 15 November 2025.
4. "Thailand win the ICC Women's Emerging Nations Trophy 2025". International Cricket Council . Retrieved 30 November 2025.
5. "Rwanda Cricket to host inaugural edition of ICC Women's Challenge Trophy in 2026". Czasportz. Retrieved 13 April 2026.
6. "Win or lose, ICC Women's Challenge Trophy will not leave Rwanda's cricket landscape the same". The New Times . Retrieved 17 April 2026.
7. "Vanuatu Women Set for Opening Clash at ICC Women's Challenge Trophy". Vanuatu Cricket Association . Retrieved 17 April 2026.
8. "Italy women discover a new cricket challenge in Kigali". The New Times . Retrieved 15 April 2026.
9. "Italy Women Announce Squad for ICC Women's T20I Challenge Trophy 2026; Emilia Bartram Leads". Female Cricket. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
10. "Nepal eye title as women's team heads to Rwanda for T20I Challenge Trophy". The Kathmandu Post . Retrieved 15 April 2026.
11. "Rwanda Name Squad for ICC Women's Challenge Trophy 2026; Diane Bimenyimana to Lead". Female Cricket. Retrieved 18 April 2026.
12. "ICC Women's T20I Challenge Trophy 2026 Points Table & Team Standings". ESPNcricinfo . Retrieved 27 April 2026.

External links

• Series home at ESPNcricinfo