Stephanie Nampiina believes Uganda’s good start with the bat gave the Victoria Pearls the confidence and freedom to complete their first round of the 2026 Victoria T20 Series round robin unbeaten after comfortably beating USA Women by seven wickets at the Lakeside Oval in Entebbe on Sunday.

Nampiina top-scored with 37 runs as Uganda chased down USA’s 93 for 7, reaching 94 for 3 in 15.1 overs with 27 balls to spare. The victory was another statement of Uganda’s growing confidence in the tournament, while USA’s search for a first win continued.

For Nampiina, the difference was not just the runs on the board but how Uganda approached the chase. The hosts got off to a good start, allowing the middle order to play with less pressure when Rita Musamali joined her at the crease.

“I think today we had a good game, had a very good start, and that kept us going. So it made everything easier,” Nampiina said.

“By the time Musamali came, we were already doing well. So you only had to get singles and run harder.”

It was a composed performance from the all-rounder, who made the most of an early reprieve to anchor the chase before Musamali took charge towards the end.

The foundation for Uganda’s victory, however, had been laid by the bowlers, who made life difficult for the American batters from the opening overs.

USA won the toss and elected to bat, making two changes to the side that had lost to Namibia a day earlier. Maahi Madhavan and Lekha Shetty returned to the team in place of Geetika Kodali and Jivana Aras as part of a fast-bowling rotation policy for back-to-back matches. Pooja Ganesh remained unavailable because of an unspecified injury sustained during Friday’s defeat to Rwanda, according to the team management.

USA’s innings never really got going. Chetna Pagydyala was trapped leg before wicket for two in the third over by Malisa Ariokot, marking the third consecutive match in which she had fallen to an lbw decision. Unlike the earlier dismissals against Rwanda and Namibia, there was little room for argument this time as she missed a straight delivery that struck her in front of middle stump.

Isani Vaghela survived a missed run-out opportunity in the fourth over, but USA lost another wicket soon afterwards. Sainavi Kambalapalli, who had earlier driven Ariokot for four over mid-on, attempted the shot again only to be bowled for 13 in the fifth over, leaving USA at 20 for 2.

Ella Claridge briefly lifted the innings with a boundary and a three through the cover region, helping USA reach 28 for 2 at the end of the powerplay. But Sarah Walaza ended her stay on the first ball of the seventh over, beating her with a straight delivery that knocked back her off stump.

The visitors’ best partnership came through Vaghela and Nikhar Doshi, who added 28 runs from 32 balls for the fourth wicket.

Vaghela struck USA’s final boundary in the eighth over, driving Immaculate Nakisuuyi over mid-off. She then enjoyed two more lives, first being dropped by Walaza at long-on off Janet Mbabazi when she was on 13, before Asumin Akurut failed to hold a swirling skier off her own bowling with Vaghela on 16.

But Uganda eventually got their reward in the 12th over. Vaghela miscued a knee-high full toss from Akurut, sending the ball high towards midwicket, where Musamali took the catch. She departed for 21 with USA struggling at 56 for 4.

The wickets continued to fall. Doshi was run out for 17 in the 14th over after attempting a quick single against Akurut. A sharp relay following Ritu Singh’s attempted tap-and-run left her three yards short of her ground.

Akurut struck again in the following over, dismissing Gargi Bhogle for four after the batter charged down the pitch and missed, allowing Musamali to complete the stumping. USA were now 67 for 6.

Captain Aditi Chudasama survived a chance at slip on her second delivery and joined Singh in trying to give the innings some respectability. The pair added 26 runs for the seventh wicket, but Uganda’s bowlers kept the scoring under control.

USA failed to find a boundary during the partnership and managed only two singles against Ariokot in the 19th over. Chudasama was eventually run out for 16 on the final ball of the innings after a swing and miss left her slow to respond when Singh set off for a bye. Singh finished unbeaten on 10 from 15 deliveries.

Ariokot was outstanding with the ball, taking two wickets for 14 runs, including a maiden, while Akurut also claimed two wickets for 18 runs from her four overs. Walaza picked up the other wicket, finishing with one for 16 from three overs.

Uganda’s response was not without an early scare. Nampiina survived a strong leg-before-wicket appeal against Madhavan in the third over when she was on four. Replays later suggested the delivery had struck her in front of middle stump, below the knee roll.

The reprieve proved costly for USA as Nampiina settled into her innings and kept Uganda moving towards the target.

Kambalapalli eventually gave USA something to celebrate in the seventh over, dismissing Uganda captain Janet Mbabazi for 14. Mbabazi attempted a cut but sliced the ball into the air, where Vaghela dived forward at backward point to complete the catch. Uganda were 35 for 1.

Proscovia Alako came in and immediately looked positive, driving firmly over mid-off for four. Uganda added 12 runs in the eighth over, including one of two occasions when the batters ran three.

However, Alako’s stay ended on the final ball of the ninth over when she skied a heave towards long-on. Singh charged in and produced an excellent diving catch to leave Uganda at 50 for 2.

That was the opening USA needed, but their fielding lapses soon returned.

Rita Musamali joined Nampiina and began to push the hosts closer to victory. In the 12th over, she first found the boundary before tapping a delivery from Lekha Shetty towards mid-off and running hard.

Singh attempted a throw at the non-striker’s end, but it went astray and was not backed up, allowing Uganda to collect three additional runs through overthrows.

Musamali then punished Madhavan with two more fours on the leg side in the 15th over, taking Uganda to 92 for 2 and leaving the hosts just one shot away from victory.

Nampiina tried to finish the job herself in the 16th over, but her lofted drive off Chopra failed to clear Vaghela in the ring. She departed for a well-made 37, having done the hard work at the top of the order.

There was little time for USA to celebrate. Esther Iloku came in and finished the contest with the very next delivery, flicking Chopra through square leg for two. Musamali remained unbeaten on 27 from 18 balls.

Kambalapalli was USA’s leading bowler once again, taking two wickets for 18 runs in four overs, while Chopra finished with one for four from 1.2 overs. Chudasama conceded 18 runs without a wicket in two overs, while Madhavan was the most expensive, giving away 26 runs in four overs.

Mbabazi happy with improved approach

For Uganda captain Janet Mbabazi, the victory was a satisfying way to close the opening round, particularly after the team had worked on an area that had troubled them in previous matches.

“We are excited, happy that we’re able to finish the first round of the game with a win,” Mbabazi said.

She admitted that she would have liked to contribute more with the bat but explained that the plan was to score during the powerplay without losing too many wickets.

“I’m not sure I got enough runs, but I think that the plan was to try and get a few runs in the powerplay, but also to just maintain the wicket column, something that we’ve been failing at, especially at the top of the order. We’ve lost quite many wickets in the powerplay as a team. So I think the plan today worked very well for us,” she said.

Mbabazi also appreciated the support the team has received during the tournament, particularly the presence of some of Uganda’s top players in the stands.

The captain believes such support gives the players an added lift and confidence as they represent the country on home soil.

“As a team, we appreciate every support that comes, and to have our top players out there supporting, it is a good confidence booster for us,” she added.

USA seek answers after another defeat

For USA captain Aditi Chudasama, there was little to celebrate after another difficult afternoon. Her side has now lost all three first-round matches and will need to find answers before the second round begins.

Chudasama admitted that the manner of Sunday’s defeat was painful but remained hopeful that the team could regroup during Monday’s rest day.

“I think we just need to regroup and go over some of the things that we’ve been lacking. Obviously, it hasn’t been easy to lose the way we did today, but hopefully we can take that rest day and come back stronger,” she said.

Despite the results, she was encouraged by the youngsters who have stepped up during the tournament, singling out Sainavi Kambalapalli, Tara and Nikki for praise.

“I think the youngsters have been doing a really good job of putting their hands up. So, Sainavi’s been bowling great and so has Tara. She’s done outstanding. Nikki has come in the last two games, and she’s shown what she can do. So hopefully we can just put everything together,” Chudasama said.

The captain said the team would use Monday to take their minds off cricket before returning to work on the areas that need improvement.

Namibia discover winning touch

In the other match of the day, Namibia mastered their art after the matchday one loss to Uganda. They recorded their second victory of the tournament with a 39-run win over Rwanda.

Kayleen Green led the way with 39 runs after opening the batting as Namibia posted 98 for 8. She then turned up with the ball, taking three wickets for 10 runs in two overs to help bowl Rwanda out for 59.

All teams will have Monday off before the Victoria T20 Series resumes on Tuesday with the second round of the double round-robin competition.

USA will face Rwanda in the morning fixture as they seek their first victory, while Uganda take on Namibia in the afternoon in a contest that could have a significant bearing on the battle for first place.

For the Victoria Pearls, the rest day will be an opportunity to enjoy some time away from the pressure of competition before turning their attention to Namibia.

Mbabazi is already looking forward to the break.

“Finally, tomorrow, rest day, we’re going to relax, interact with our friends, grab a few coffees, have a good time and just reset,” she said.

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Immaculate Nakisuuyi knows the Victoria Pearls have some work to do with the bat if they are to make their 2026 Victoria Series campaign more comfortable.

Despite Uganda picking up their second consecutive victory with a narrow six-run win over neighbours Rwanda at the Lakeside Oval in Entebbe, Nakisuuyi believes their batting remains a concern after another difficult afternoon at the crease.

The all-rounder, who was named Player of the Match, was modest about her own contribution, instead praising her teammates for fighting to put runs on the board.

“I don’t think I had a good innings when we were batting. My teammates, my fellow players, tried their best to contribute runs and put runs on the board. We haven’t come up well in batting, but we are sure we will come up. We still have about five games to go, so we will come up,” she said.

It was another close call for the Victoria Pearls, who had to dig deep to protect a modest total after winning their opening match against Namibia by four wickets.

Uganda won the toss and elected to bat first, but their top order once again struggled to settle, leaving the middle order with the responsibility of rescuing the innings.

Rita Musamali scored 23 while Esther Iloku added 27, with the pair doing much of the repair work as Uganda struggled to find momentum.

The hosts eventually finished on 100/6 in their allotted 20 overs, setting Rwanda a target of 101 runs.

Rwanda started brightly, reaching 29 without loss inside the first five overs and threatening to take the game away from the hosts.

However, Uganda refused to let the visitors build on that promising start. Each time Rwanda attempted to put together a meaningful partnership, the Victoria Pearls found a way to break through with a wicket.

The game went down to the wire, with Rwanda needing 10 runs from the final six deliveries. With most of their recognised batters already back in the pavilion, the responsibility fell on the tail, which struggled to complete the chase.

Uganda held their nerve when it mattered most, conceding just 10 runs in the final 12 balls when Rwanda needed 17. Those two overs proved decisive, bringing the visitors’ hopes of a comeback to an end.

Nakisuuyi was central to the victory, contributing with both bat and ball. She scored 11 runs from 11 deliveries at a strike rate of 100 before claiming two wickets for 16 runs in her bowling spell.

But while Uganda celebrated another victory, the all-rounder was quick to identify why their matches have continued to go down to the final overs.

Asked why the team had found itself in such tight contests in consecutive matches, Nakisuuyi did not hesitate to point to the batting department.

“It’s basically because of our batting. We haven’t been in a position to put up a big number of runs on the board, but we are sure we know what we are supposed to do and we are going to keep working on that,” she explained.

Beyond the performance on the field, Nakisuuyi also acknowledged the supporters who turned up in bigger numbers at the Lakeside Oval, saying their encouragement gave the players an extra push.

“First, I will give thanks to the fans that came around. They were really pushing us. They were giving us morale, so they contributed to the win. As well, the team stayed together. We kept on communicating, and I mean, that’s it,” she said.

The victory keeps the Victoria Pearls unbeaten after two matches and makes them the only side yet to drop a game in the competition.

Their next assignment is against USA Women on Sunday, November 8, at the Lakeside Oval. The Americans head into the encounter searching for their first victory after losing to Rwanda on the opening day and Namibia on the second day.

The message from Nakisuuyi is that the bowling and team spirit are delivering, but the batting must improve.

“We are looking at scoring plenty of runs, so it’s just one ball at a time. We will just stay focused and see what God prepares for us,” she said.

The home supporters will also be keeping an eye on Kampi Nainhabo, who could make her much-anticipated debut for the Victoria Pearls against the USA as the defending champions look to make it three wins in a row.

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Rwanda Women National Cricket team captain Diane Marie Bimenyimana believes her side has only itself to blame for its six-run defeat to Uganda’s Victoria Pearls, insisting that failing to execute their plans while chasing cost them a chance to make it two wins from two at the 2026 Victoria Series.

Rwanda had done much of the hard work with the ball, restricting the defending champions to 99 for six in 20 overs at the Lakeside Oval in Entebbe on Saturday. However, their batting response fell short, with the visitors managing 93 for eight in their allotted overs.

Reflecting on the defeat, Bimenyimana acknowledged that her bowlers did their job but admitted the batters failed to make the most of the opportunity.

“With a good first inning, we were able to restrict them to not go past 100. But in the second inning, when we were chasing, we didn’t execute ourselves in the middle. That’s where we fell short for today’s game,” she said.

It was a frustrating afternoon for Rwanda, particularly after their encouraging start to the competition on Friday, when they beat USA Women by 14 runs to register their first victory of the series.

Bimenyimana had won the toss in that opening match and elected to bat, although her own innings ended without scoring. She made up for it with the ball, taking two wickets for 12 runs to help Rwanda defend their total.

Alice Ikuzwe was equally impressive, claiming three wickets for 14 runs in 3.2 overs to walk away with the Player of the Match award.

Against Uganda, Bimenyimana again showed why she remains an important figure in Rwanda’s bowling attack, producing an excellent spell of four wickets for 14 runs in four overs.

Uganda captain Janet Mbabazi had won the toss and elected to bat, but Rwanda’s bowlers kept the home side under control throughout much of the innings.

Mbabazi fell for three runs, trapped leg before wicket by Rosine Irera, before Bimenyimana took charge of the attack.

The Rwanda captain dismissed Stephanie Nampiina for 14, Proscovia Alako for eight and Rita Musamali for 23, before returning to remove Immaculate Nakisuuyi for 11.

Musamali had provided some resistance with her 31-ball knock, while Esther Iloku remained unbeaten on 27 from 35 deliveries to help Uganda reach 99 for six.

Malisa Ariokot was the other dismissal, run out for three in the final over. Uganda’s total included 10 extras, with Irera contributing one wicket for 14 runs in her four overs.

With 100 runs required for victory, Rwanda appeared to have a manageable target, but Uganda’s bowlers made life difficult for them.

Fanny Utagushimaninde offered some resistance with 17 off 29 deliveries, while Shakila Niyomuhoza top-scored with 21 from 20 balls. Gisele Ishimwe added 10, but the wickets kept falling at crucial moments.

Rwanda slipped to 47 for four after the dismissals of Ishimwe, Clarisse Umuntoniwase, Utagushimaninde and Merveille Uwase, leaving the chase increasingly difficult.

Ikuzwe managed six before falling to Asumin Akurut, while Henriette Therese Ishimwe also scored six before being caught behind off Immaculate Nakisuuyi.

Niyomuhoza’s dismissal for 21 in the 19th over further damaged Rwanda’s hopes, and although Bimenyimana stayed unbeaten on eight alongside Rosine Irera, who finished on two not out, the target proved just out of reach.

Rwanda ended on 93 for eight, six runs short of Uganda’s total. Nakisuuyi was Uganda’s leading bowler with two wickets for 16 runs in four overs and Player of the match. 

Sarah Walaza, Mbabazi, Consylate Aweko Nimungu and Akurut claimed one wicket each, with Walaza conceding 16 runs, Mbabazi 23, Aweko Nimungu 16 and Akurut 13.

For Bimenyimana, however, the defeat is not a reason to lose confidence in her team’s overall performance. With another match coming up, she wants her players to put the disappointment behind them, remain positive and enjoy their cricket.

Asked what Rwanda needed to improve against Namibia, she pointed to the importance of better execution in the middle.

“It’s just a few mistakes, like the way I say it. It’s only the midfielders to just make sure that they execute themselves and stay positive,” she said.

“To make sure that they just enjoy themselves when they are on the pitch there. That’s the only thing we have to correct tomorrow. Otherwise, all other departments are doing very well.”

The captain has also been one of Rwanda’s most reliable performers with the ball, taking two wickets against the USA before improving that return to four against Uganda.

She puts her success down to keeping things simple, maintaining a consistent line and making the stumps a constant threat to opposing batters.

“Just staying on one line and making sure that I put the Stumps into play,” she explained.

“And make sure that I make them come into play. If they don’t swing their bat into the game, I will be the one in the business. That’s the only thing I’m doing very well in this tournament.”

Rwanda will have little time to dwell on Saturday’s defeat as they turn their attention to Namibia Women on Sunday, November 8.

The match, scheduled for 9:30 a.m., will be their first morning fixture of the tournament after playing their opening two games in the afternoon.

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