T20 WCQ: Kenya see off Rwanda to pick first tournament win

Kenya men’s national cricket side kicked off their 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup - Africa Qualifiers campaign on a bright note after seeing off opponents Rwanda by 17 runs in the tournament’s opening game played at the United and Wanderers Cricket Grounds in Windhoek, Namibia on Wednesday afternoon.

Leading the batting charts for Kenya, who lost the toss and took to the crease in the first innings, was former team skipper Irfan Karim, who scored 63 runs - among them five fours and one six - from 43 balls, to set Kenya rolling to a score of 154 runs for the loss of two wickets after twenty overs.

The evergreen opening batsman Collins Obuya registered a half century from 47 balls faced, adding up to Rwanda’s burden in the second innings.

Following a sticky start, and one that saw Rwanda fail to give up a wicket till 23 year old Orchide Tuyisenge was bowled out by Pushkar Sharma after 12.1 overs, Kenya looked to be on the ropes, but would ultimately hold on to the marginal victory; Rwanda only putting up 137 run for the loss of four wickets.

The other three Kenyan wickets were shared between Emmanuel Bundi, Obuya (run out) and Vraj Patel.

“Being our first game in a very long time, I think the boys are pulling up well,” Kenya’s stand-in skipper Lucas Oluoch said as per Nation Sports post-game. “In T20, anything can happen. It was a flat deck towards the end, easy to bat but I think the boys did well.”

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Team captain Rakep Patel retired hurt with just one run from his two balls faced in the first innings, with opening batsman Rushab Patel totaling 21 runs in 7.1 overs.

Kenya’s second game will be on Thursday 23 November against Nigeria at the same venue from 1030 EAT.