Nepal Women, led by Indu Barma, secured a commanding 50-run victory over Italy Women, captained by Emilia Bartram, in the fourth match of the ICC Women’s T20I Challenge Trophy 2026 at Gahanga B Ground, Rwanda.
Earlier in the day, hosts Rwanda had defeated Vanuatu, but Nepal followed up with a dominant all-round performance to strengthen their position in the tournament.
Puja Mahato Anchors Nepal’s Total
After winning the toss and opting to bat, Nepal made a steady start through openers Samjhana Khadka and Bindu Rawal, who added 19 runs for the first wicket. The partnership was broken in the fourth over when Pasindi Kanankege dismissed Khadka for 16 off 13 balls.
A 24-run stand between Indu Barma and Puja Mahato helped Nepal cross the 50-run mark before Ilenia Sims removed the skipper for 10 in the 12th over.
Italy’s bowlers applied consistent pressure with regular breakthroughs, but Nepal’s lower order ensured a competitive total. A crucial 25-run partnership for the ninth wicket between Puja Mahato (48* off 45 balls) and Riya Sharma (2* off 5 balls) pushed the score past 100.
Nepal finished on 112/8 in their 20 overs, with Mahato leading the scoring. Bindu Rawal (15) was the only other batter to reach double figures, while the innings included 10 extras.
Italy Bowling Highlights:
- Emilia Bartram: 3-0-21-3
- Chathurika Mahamalage: 4-0-21-1
- Ilenia Sims: 4-0-21-1
- Alexia Kontopirakis: 3-0-14-1
- Pasindi Kanankege: 2-0-10-1
Italy Collapse Under Pressure
In response, Italy struggled from the outset, losing four wickets inside the powerplay to slump to 13/4. Emma Moore and Chathurika Mahamalage attempted to rebuild with a brief 15-run stand for the fifth wicket.
However, Rubina Chhetry broke the partnership by dismissing Moore for a duck, triggering another collapse. Italy were unable to recover, despite a 17-run eighth-wicket partnership between Kanankege (12) and Mahamalage (22* off 46 balls).
Italy were eventually bowled out for 62 with eight balls remaining, falling 50 runs short of the target.
Chhetry Leads Clinical Bowling Effort
Rubina Chhetry delivered a match-winning spell, returning figures of 2.4-1-4-4 to dismantle Italy’s batting lineup. She was well supported by Kabita Kunwar (2 wickets), along with contributions from Manisha Upadhayay, Rachana Chaudhary, and Riya Sharma.
Chhetry’s outstanding performance earned her the Player of the Match award, capping off a dominant display by Nepal in both departments.
