Nigeria’s Female Yellow Greens concluded its 2026 Kwibuka Women’s T20i Tournament campaign in Rwanda with a third-place finish, defeating Brazil Women by two wickets in the playoff match.
At the Gahanga International Stadium’s Cricket Oval in Kigali, Nigeria showed resilience as they bounced back from difficult results before the third-place playoff with a determined performance.
After winning the toss, Nigeria opted to field and restricted Brazil to 85 all out. The Female Yellow Greens produced disciplined bowling before chasing 87 for eight in 19.2 overs. The victory came with four balls remaining, securing third place for the Nigerian side.
Player of the Match, Christabel Chukwuonye, led the bowling attack with three wickets for 13 runs. She also delivered a maiden over, while Oseyande Omonkhobho, Shola Adekunle and Rachael Samson claimed two wickets each.
Captain Favour Eseigbe added a wicket as Nigeria kept Brazil under pressure throughout the innings. Nigeria’s chase was challenging as Brazilian bowlers took regular wickets and kept the contest alive.
Adekunle’s 26 runs steadied the innings, while Eseigbe remained unbeaten on 19 to seal victory. Speaking after the match, Eseigbe described the win as the team’s final chance for reward.
“We lost about four games before this third-place match, but we had momentum,” she said. “It was a final push because we wanted to take something home. We decided to come out all out, and I commend the girls for their efforts.”
“Today everybody worked. Everybody was involved and encouraged each other. It was a team effort, but Christabel’s performance was commendable.”
Nigeria’s bronze medal finish is another positive step in the continued growth of women’s cricket in the country.
The performances of Chukwuonye, Eseigbe, Adekunnle, Esther Sandy, Salome Sunday, Etim Sarah Ekwere, Ude Lilian, Oseyande Omonkhobho, and several others underline the increasing depth and quality within the Female Yellow Greens setup.
As the team returns home from Kigali, they do so with more than medals. They carry valuable international experience, confidence gained from competing against quality opposition, and proof that Nigerian women’s cricket continues to make significant strides on the continental stage.
The Kwibuka Women’s T20i Tournament may be over, but for the Female Yellow Greens, the journey towards greater achievements has only just begun.
