The upcoming match between Zimbabwe HPC Women and Nigeria Women is set to be an exciting contest in the 2025 Kwibuka Women’s T20 Tournament. Scheduled for June 3, 2025, at 1:15 PM IST, the game will take place at Gahanga International Cricket Stadium 2 in Kigali.
Both teams enter the tournament eager to make a strong impression, with Zimbabwe HPC Women looking to showcase the depth of their high-performance squad and Nigeria Women aiming to build on their recent progress in African women’s cricket.
Squads:
Nigeria Women’s Cricket Team
Esther Sandy, Favour Eseigbe, Salome Sunday, Adeshola Adekunle, Anointed Akhigbe, Christabel Chukwuonye, Lilian Ude, Abigail Igbobie, Omosigho Eguakun, Sarah Etim, Muhibat K Amusa, Peace Usen, Rachael Samson, Rukayat Abdulrasak
Zimbabwe HPC Women’s Cricket Team
Kelly Ndiraya, Natasha Mtomba, Nokutenda Makanhiwa, Cathrine Chitombo, Christabel Chatonzwa, Loreen Tshuma, Nyasha Gwanzura, Chiedza Dhururu, Vimbai Mutungwindu, Lindokuhle Mabhero, Loryn Phiri, Michelle Mavunga, Nomvelo Sibanda, Passionate Munorwei, Salem Museka
Players to watch out:
Salome Sunday
Sunday made her T20I debut in 2019 at age 17 and in 62 T20Is so far, she has scored 1031 runs with the highest score of 63 and is recognized as a highly promising all-rounder. In their most recent outing, the 2024 Kwibuka Women’s T20 Tournament, she has delivered impactful knocks such as 48* off 20 balls against Malawi and 29 off 12 balls against Rwanda, underlining her value as a dynamic top-order player for Nigeria.
Adeshola Adekunle
The 17-year-old all-rounder, in her T20I career so far, she has played 28 matches, taking 31 wickets at an impressive average of 12.96 and an economy rate of 4.46, with best figures of 4/13. With the bat, she has scored 11 runs in 11 innings, mainly contributing as a bowler. Adekunle continues to be a key part of Nigeria’s attack in recent campaigns as well.
Loreen Tshuma
The Zimbabwean all-rounder has played 38 T20Is, taking 36 wickets at an average of 17.41 with best figures of 4/11. With the bat, in 18 innings, she has scored 177 runs at an average of 14.75 and a strike rate of 101.73, with a top score of 46. While in her most recent outing she scored a century, against USA in April 2025, in the T20I-leg of the same series she registered notable scores of 38 and 46, while also taking 2 wickets.
Christabel Chatonzwa
Chatonzwa has played 9 WT20Is and added 23 runs and struck 3 wickets at an average of 25.00. Known for her handy off-spin and useful lower-order batting, Chatonzwa has been a part of Zimbabwe’s women’s cricket setup, including recent squads for home series and World Cup qualifiers.
Pitch:
The pitch at Gahanga Cricket Stadium 2 in Kigali is balanced, offering good bounce for batters and assistance for pace bowlers. Spin can come into play later in the match. The outfield is fast, and teams chasing totals have a slight advantage. Overall, it’s a competitive surface promising a good game.
Weather:
The conditions are favourable for a complete game, with the temperature to hover around 26°C, partly cloudy skies and moderate humidity. There is a small chance of a brief afternoon thunderstorm, but most of the time will be dry and suitable for cricket.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Salome Sunday, Blessing Etim, Loreen Tshuma, Favour Eseigbe, Abigail Igbobie, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, Modester Mupachikwa, Josephine Nkomo, Nomvelo Sibanda, Precious Marange, Ashley Ndiraya
Match details:
Date – June 3, 2025
Time – 1:15 PM IST
Venue – Gahanga Cricket Stadium 2, Kigali
Broadcast – The game will be live-streamed on the FanCode app and website.
