ICC ANNOUNCES INAUGURAL ICC WOMEN’S CHALLENGE TROPHY SCHEDULE 

Hosts Rwanda will play Italy while Nepal will take on the USA in the opening set of matches at the inaugural ICC Women’s Challenge Trophy which gets underway on 18 April in Kigali, Rwanda.

The schedule for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Associate Members’ T20I tournament, which will run until 1 May, was announced today. Four of the five participating teams will feature on the opening day at Gahanga Cricket Stadium, a facility that boasts two adjoining grounds which host international cricket, with the fifth team, Vanuatu, getting into the action on the second day, when they take on the hosts in the morning match.

The tournament is among the new events added by the ICC to the international calendar to provide more match exposure to AMs women’s teams, along with the Emerging Nations Trophy – the inaugural edition of which was held last November. This event features the highest placed team from each of the ICC’s five regions to not take part in the Emerging Nations Trophy.

All five teams confirmed their participation through their finishing positions in the regional ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifiers in 2025.

A double round-robin format assures maximum match exposure for teams, so that participants are better prepared to play stronger opposition in the years to come. This falls in line with the ICC’s commitment to deliver competitive cricket with context for all its Members as it moves to continuously grow the women’s game.

The first-ever, 12-team ICC Women’s T20 World Cup will be played in June and July this year in England and Wales with the projected expansion of teams reaching 16 in the 2030 edition as announced by the ICC Board in 2024.

**President of Rwanda Cricket Association, Stephen Musaale, said: “**We extend our deepest gratitude to the International Cricket Council (ICC) for their visionary leadership in creating pathways for cross-continental play and for their immense trust in Rwanda to host this inaugural event.

“This tournament is a testament to the growth of Rwandan cricket and would not be possible without the unwavering support of our stakeholders, partners, and the Ministry of Sports.

“To our incredible fans: we call on you to fill the stands at Gahanga with your energy and passion. Let us show the world the warmth of Rwandan hospitality as we cheer on our team in this historic chapter of our sporting journey.”

Schedule

April 16 - Team arrivals
April 17 - Practices

April 18
9:00am - Rwanda vs Italy, Gahanga Cricket Stadium Main Oval
1:00pm - Nepal vs USA, Gahanga Cricket Stadium Main Oval

April 19
9:00am - Rwanda vs Vanuatu, Gahanga Cricket Stadium Oval B
1:00pm - Italy vs Nepal, Gahanga Cricket Stadium Oval B

April 20 - Rest day

April 21
9:00am - Rwanda vs USA, Gahanga Cricket Stadium Main Oval
1:00pm - Vanuatu vs Italy, Gahanga Cricket Stadium Main Oval

April 22
9:00am - Rwanda vs Nepal, Gahanga Cricket Stadium Oval B
1:00pm - USA vs Vanuatu, Gahanga Cricket Stadium Oval B

April 23 - Rest day

April 24
9:00am - Nepal vs Vanuatu, Gahanga Cricket Stadium Main Oval
1:00pm - Italy vs USA, Gahanga Cricket Stadium Main Oval

April 25 - Rest day

April 26
9:00am - Rwanda vs Vanuatu, Gahanga Cricket Stadium Oval B
1:00pm - USA vs Nepal, Gahanga Cricket Stadium Oval B

April 27
9:00am - Rwanda vs Italy, Gahanga Cricket Stadium Main Oval
1:00pm - USA vs Vanuatu, Gahanga Cricket Stadium Main Oval

April 28
9:00am - Rwanda vs Nepal, Gahanga Cricket Stadium Oval B
1:00pm - Italy vs Vanuatu, Gahanga Cricket Stadium Oval B

April 29 - Rest day

April 30
9:00am - Italy vs USA, Gahanga Cricket Stadium Main Oval
1:00pm - Nepal vs Vanuatu, Gahanga Cricket Stadium Main Oval

May 1
9:00am - Rwanda vs USA, Gahanga Cricket Stadium Oval B
1:00pm - Italy vs Nepal, Gahanga Cricket Stadium Oval B

*All match times are local