Coach Leke Oyede has commended the performance and determination of Nigeria’s national women’s cricket team, the Female Yellow Greens, following their narrow defeat to Zimbabwe in the opening match of the 2025 Kwibuka Women’s T20I Tournament on Tuesday in Rwanda.
Playing at the Gahanga 2 Cricket Oval, Nigeria lost by just six runs in a tightly contested encounter. After winning the toss and opting to field, Nigeria restricted Zimbabwe to 104 runs in their allotted 20 overs.
In response, the Nigerian side launched a spirited chase but ultimately fell short, finishing at 98 runs.
Team captain Favour Eseigbe anchored the innings with a composed, unbeaten 21 runs, leading by example and keeping Nigeria in the hunt until the final overs.
Despite the loss, the Female Yellow Greens drew praise for their resilience and steady progress against a seasoned Zimbabwean side, which boasts test-playing experience.
Speaking after the match, head coach Leke Oyede expressed pride in his team’s performance and emphasized the developmental value of competing at such a high level.
“The experience gained from this encounter is invaluable for the players’ development and the team’s overall growth,” Oyede remarked.
“This tournament provides a solid platform for our preparation ahead of the World Cup qualifiers.”
Nigeria is set to return to action today (Wednesday) as they take on Brazil in their second group-stage match.
The 2025 Kwibuka Women’s T20I Tournament features nine participating teams competing in a round-robin format, with the top four advancing to the semi-finals.
Established in 2014, the tournament is held annually in remembrance of the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. Kenya remains the most successful side in the competition’s history with four titles, while Rwanda and Uganda have each lifted the trophy once. Uganda claimed the 2024 championship, with Zimbabwe finishing as runners-up.
