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. The competition was part of the International Cricket Council's (ICC) strategy to promote women's cricket and expand worldwide participation. 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.
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. The qualified teams were Italy (Europe), Nepal (Asia), Rwanda (Africa), United States (Americas) and Vanuatu (East Asia-Pacific). Italy competed in an ICC event outside of Europe for the first time.
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, while Nepal came in as runners-up after winning 5 of their 8 matches and finishing with 10 points.
Squads Emilia Bartram (c) Himanshi Daluwatta Ishara Jayamannage (wk) Pasindi Kanankege Alexia Kontopirakis Chathurika Mahamalage Sadalee Malwatta Emma Moore Dilaisha Nanayakkara Kumudu Peddrick Amaya Rajapaksha Methnara Rathnayake (wk) Ilenia Sims Sonia Toffoletto Indu Barma (c) Puja Mahato (vc) Suman Bist Rachana Chaudhary Rubina Chhetry Kabita Joshi Anu Kadayat Samjhana Khadka Kabita Kunwar Rubi Poddar (wk) Bindu Rawal Riya Sharma Roma Thapa Manisha Upadhayay Marie Bimenyimana (c) Alice Ikuzwe Flora Irakoze (wk) Rosine Irera Gisele Ishimwe Henriette Ishimwe Belise Murekatete Shakila Niyomuhoza Rosette Shimwamana Clarrisse Umutoniwase Fanny Utagushimaninde Geovanis Uwase Merveille Uwase (wk) Ruth Uwimana Aditiba Chudasama (c) Jivana Aras Gargi Bhogle Taranum Chopra Nikhar Doshi Pooja Ganesh (wk) Aparna Gurumurthy Sainavi Kambalapalli Maahi Madhavan Chetna Pagydyala Chetnaa Prasad Lekha Shetty Ritu Singh Suhani Thadani Isani Vaghela Rachel Andrew (c) Alvina Chilia (vc) Gillian Chilia (wk) Melissa Fare Anna Griffin Natalia Kakor Valenta Langiatu Nasimana Navaika Rayline Ova Selina Solman Susan Stephen Mahina Tarimiala (wk) Maselin Thompson Vanessa Vira
Points table
Fixtures
References
External links Series home at ESPNcricinfo