2026 Women's Challenge Trophy
 Official logo of ICC Women's Challenge Trophy | |
| Dates | 18 April – 1 May 2026 |
|---|---|
| Administrator | International Cricket Council |
| Cricket format | Twenty20 International |
| Tournament format | Double round-robin |
| Host | Rwanda |
| Champions |  United States (1st title) |
| Runners-up |  Nepal |
| Participants | 5 |
| Matches | 20 |
| Most runs | Chetna Pagydyala (261) |
| Most wickets | Kabita Kunwar (15) Vanessa Vira (15) |
The 2026 ICC Women's Challenge Trophy, the inaugural edition of the Women's Challenge Trophy, was a Twenty20 International (T20I) cricket tournament took place from 18 April to 1 May 2026 in Kigali, Rwanda.[1][2] The competition was part of the International Cricket Council's (ICC) strategy to promote women's cricket and expand worldwide participation.[3] The Challenge Trophy was part of a three-tier system for associate members of the ICC and sits below the Women's Emerging Nations Trophy, which held its first edition in November 2025.[4][5]
The tournament was contested by one team from each of the ICC's five regions, specifically the sides that finished highest in regional qualification for the 2026 Women's T20 World Cup and who did not feature in the 2025 Women's Emerging Nations Trophy.[2] The qualified teams were Italy (Europe), Nepal (Asia), Rwanda (Africa), United States (Americas) and Vanuatu (East Asia-Pacific).[6][7] Italy competed in an ICC event outside of Europe for the first time.[8]
United States won the inaugural edition by finishing top of the table with 6 wins from 8 matches and 1 no result, earning 13 points,[9][10] while Nepal came in as runners-up after winning 5 of their 8 matches and finishing with 10 points.[11][12]
Squads
 Italy[13] |
Nepal[14] |
 Rwanda[15] |
United States |
Vanuatu |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
Points table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | NR | Pts | NRR | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States |
8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 2.353 | Champions |
| 2 | Nepal |
8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0.615 | Runners-up |
| 3 | Rwanda |
8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 9 | −0.048 | |
| 4 | Italy |
8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 6 | −1.231 | |
| 5 | Vanuatu |
8 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 2 | −1.595 |
Fixtures
v |
||
Alexia Kontopirakis 45* (37) Ruth Uwimana 1/12 (2 overs) |
- Rwanda won the toss and elected to field.
- Rwanda were set a revised target of 67 runs in 7 overs due to rain.[17]
- Ruth Uwimana (Rwa) made her T20I debut.
v |
||
Pooja Ganesh 47 (49) Manisha Upadhayay 2/18 (4 overs) |
Bindu Rawal 27 (45) Maahi Madhavan 2/11 (2 overs) |
- Nepal won the toss and elected to field.
- Sainavi Kambalapalli (USA) made her T20I debut.
v |
||
Gisele Ishimwe 34 (31) Vanessa Vira 3/8 (4 overs) |
Susan Stephen 20 (29) Belise Murekatete 3/6 (3.3 overs) |
- Rwanda won the toss and elected to bat.
v |
||
- Nepal won the toss and elected to bat.
v |
||
Nasimana Navaika 36 (39) Pasindi Kanankege 1/12 (2 overs) |
- Italy won the toss and elected to field.
v |
||
Alice Ikuzwe 17 (31) Rachana Chaudhary 3/12 (3 overs) |
Samjhana Khadka 48 (42) Geovanis Uwase 3/14 (4 overs) |
- Rwanda won the toss and elected to bat.
v |
||
Chetna Pagydyala 81* (61) Vanessa Vira 2/15 (4 overs) |
Selina Solman 40 (40) Aditiba Chudasama 4/15 (4 overs) |
- United States won the toss and elected to bat.
v |
||
Valenta Langiatu 42 (50) Riya Sharma 2/11 (4 overs) |
Samjhana Khadka 24 (19) Vanessa Vira 3/11 (3.3 overs) |
- Vanuatu won the toss and elected to bat.
v |
||
Isani Vaghela 52 (53) Thilini Fernando 4/24 (4 overs) |
Emma Moore 27 (31) Maahi Madhavan 2/8 (2 overs) |
- United States won the toss and elected to bat.
- Nikhar Doshi (USA) made her T20I debut.
v |
||
Merveille Uwase 60 (43) Selina Solman 2/20 (4 overs) |
Valenta Langiatu 71* (63) Rosine Irera 1/17 (3 overs) |
- Rwanda won the toss and elected to bat.
v |
||
Ilenia Sims 37 (39) Rosine Irera 2/17 (4 overs) |
Fanny Utagushimaninde 36 (30) Emma Moore 1/12 (2 overs) |
- Italy won the toss and elected to bat.
v |
||
Isani Vaghela 54 (41) Vanessa Vira 2/25 (4 overs) |
Valenta Langiatu 25 (21) Lekha Shetty 4/16 (4 overs) |
- United States won the toss and elected to bat.
v |
||
Susan Stephen 51 (42) Ilenia Sims 2/30 (4 overs) |
Emilia Bartram 54* (33) Vanessa Vira 3/21 (3 overs) |
- Italy won the toss and elected to field.
- No further play was possible due to rain.
v |
||
Alexia Kontopirakis 49 (56) Sainavi Kambalapalli 2/12 (4 overs) |
Sainavi Kambalapalli 52* (51) Thilini Fernando 1/7 (4 overs) |
- Italy won the toss and elected to bat.
v |
||
Valenta Langiatu 14 (19) Kabita Kunwar 6/5 (3.4 overs) |
- Nepal won the toss and elected to bat.
- Kabita Kunwar (Nep) took her maiden five-wicket haul and first hat-trick in WT20Is.[18][19]
v |
||
Isani Vaghela 29 (45) Rosine Irera 3/16 (4 overs) |
- United States won the toss and elected to bat.
- No further play was possible due to rain.
- Aparna Gurumurthy (USA) made her T20I debut.
v |
||
Emilia Bartram 14 (14) Manisha Upadhayay 3/10 (2 overs) |
Puja Mahato 13 (6) Emma Moore 1/16 (1 over) |
- Nepal won the toss and elected to field.
- The match was reduced to 7 overs per side due to rain.
References
- ↑ "Kigali to host ICC women challenge trophy". The New Times. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
- 1 2 "Rwanda to host inaugural ICC Women's Challenge Trophy from April 18". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 April 2026.
- ↑ "ICC launches new global tournament to promote and expand Women's Cricket around the world". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ↑ "Thailand win the ICC Women's Emerging Nations Trophy 2025". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
- ↑ "Rwanda Cricket to host inaugural edition of ICC Women's Challenge Trophy in 2026". Czasportz. Retrieved 13 April 2026.
- ↑ "Win or lose, ICC Women's Challenge Trophy will not leave Rwanda's cricket landscape the same". The New Times. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
- ↑ "Vanuatu Women Set for Opening Clash at ICC Women's Challenge Trophy". Vanuatu Cricket Association. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
- ↑ "Italy women discover a new cricket challenge in Kigali". The New Times. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
- ↑ "Dominant USA seal inaugural Challenge Trophy title". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- ↑ "USA beat Italy to win ICC Women's Challenge Trophy in Kigali". The New Times. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- ↑ "Nepal runner-up in Women's Challenge Trophy". Ekantipur. 1 May 2026. Retrieved 2 May 2026.
- ↑ "इटालीलाई हराउँदै नेपाल दोस्रो" [Nepal second after defeating Italy]. Hamro Khelkud (in Nepali). 1 May 2026. Retrieved 2 May 2026.
- ↑ "Italy Women Announce Squad for ICC Women's T20I Challenge Trophy 2026; Emilia Bartram Leads". Female Cricket. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
- ↑ "Nepal eye title as women's team heads to Rwanda for T20I Challenge Trophy". The Kathmandu Post. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
- ↑ "Rwanda Name Squad for ICC Women's Challenge Trophy 2026; Diane Bimenyimana to Lead". Female Cricket. Retrieved 18 April 2026.
- ↑ "ICC Women's T20I Challenge Trophy 2026 Points Table & Team Standings". Cricinfo. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- ↑ "Italy upset Rwanda in rain-soaked ICC Women's Challenge Trophy opener". The New Times. 18 April 2026. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- ↑ "Kunwar's record six‑for powers Nepal past Vanuatu". The Rising Nepal. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- ↑ Nischal Tiwari (30 April 2026). "Kabita Kunwar's hat-trick and six-for boost Nepal's runner-up hopes in Rwanda". Cricnepal. Retrieved 1 May 2026.