Parity in early stages of ICC Women's Challenge Trophy

No clear frontrunner with tight start to inaugural ICC T20I Challenge Trophy for women.

20 April, 2026

Just two points separates first and last in the ICC Women's Challenge Trophy after the first two matchdays of the new competition.

USA (one match, one win) remain the only team yet to taste defeat ahead of Tuesday's resumption, with those to play two matches - Rwanda, Nepal and Italy - beginning with a win and a defeat.

Vanuatu, whose only appearance thus far ended in a defeat to the hosts, take on USA on matchday three as they aim to open their account.

Italy v Nepal | Match Highlights | ICC Women's T20 Challenge Trophy

italy W vs Nepal W - Match Highlights (1).mp4 (2026-04-19 23:35:20Z)

Nepal denied Italy's hopes to go two from two to begin the tournament, with Indu Barma's side claiming an attention-grabbing 50-run win to round out weekend proceedings.

Former U19 Women's T20 World Cup captain Puja Mahato was the standout with the bat, making a measured 48 not out, before Rubina Chhetry turned the screws with the ball, taking 4/4 in 2.4 overs.

Held in Kigali, the Challenge Trophy is one of the new events added by the ICC to the international calendar to provide more exposure to Associate Members, along with the Emerging Nations Trophy, the inaugural edition of which was held last November. It features the highest placed team from each of the ICC’s five regions to not feature in the Emerging Nations Trophy.

The Gahanga Cricket Stadium's two adjoining grounds are hosting the tournament. All five teams confirmed their participation through their finishing positions in the regional Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifiers in 2025.

Nepal v USA | Match Highlights | ICC Women's T20 Challenge Trophy

USA got off to a winning start in the ICC Women's T20 Challenge Trophy as they clinched a 44-run triumph over Nepal.

A double round-robin event, the tournament runs until May 2, with the aim of providing a high level of match exposure, and to prepare teams to play stronger opponents as the ICC looks to expand the horizon of the women's game, a high priority of the world body.

It comes as the Women's T20 World Cup expands to 12 teams in 2026, with the ICC Board in 2024 also confirming that the Women’s T20 World Cup of 2030 will feature 16 teams.

Rwanda v Italy | Match Highlights | ICC Women's T20 Challenge Trophy

Watch the highlights as Italy beat Rwanda by 16 runs (DLS method) at the ICC Women's T20I Challenge Trophy 2026.

Having featured at the last Global Qualifier for the Women's T20 World Cup in January and February, Nepal and the USA came into the tournament as the teams to beat, with the former also the highest-ranked team at 21st in the ICC Women's T20I Team Rankings.

Nepal v Zimbabwe | Match Highlights | Women's T20 World Cup Global Qualifier

Watch the highlights of Nepal securing their first win of the T20 World Cup Global Qualifier with a clinical performance against Zimbabwe.

While Vanuatu come into the team the lowest-ranked at 30th, the side beat 20th-ranked Indonesia in the last East Asia-Pacific T20 World Cup Qualifier in Fiji last year, on their way to securing a spot at the upcoming tournament.