Rwanda vs Zambia, MW Tri-Series, 2026, Today Match Prediction

RWA vs ZAM Match Prediction & Analysis

Malawi will play hosts to Rwanda in the third game of the T20I tri-series in Malawi on Wednesday, 12th August. The venue for this match is TCA Oval, Blantyre and the scheduled start time is 12:00 PM IST. 

Rwanda are coming off a roller-coaster run of form, while Malawi head into the contest with a home advantage. Both teams would eye a victory to start the campaign on a winning note. 

Current Standings: Standings will be updated after the result of this game. 

H2H history: Rwanda and Malawi have played seven games against each other. Rwanda won four games and Malawi emerged victorious in three games. 

TEAMS PREVIEW

Rwanda Preview

Malawi enter the contest on the back of a convincing win over Zambia in their opening game. Batting first, they posted 151 runs before bowling Zambia out for 101. Aaftab Limdawala top-scored with 45 off 36 balls, while Suhail Vayani provided a quick boost with a 30 off just 14 deliveries. Daniel Jakiel and Vayani were the stars with the ball, claiming four wickets each.

The hosts have had a mixed run of form in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Qualifier. Malawi won two of their four completed matches, suffering defeats against Tanzania and Ghana in their opening two games before bouncing back with clinical victories over Eswatini and Seychelles. Against Seychelles, they restricted their opponents to 108/7 and chased down the target with three overs to spare.

Malawi will now face Rwanda in their next assignment of the T20 tri-series. While they have struggled for consistency in multinational tournaments, playing at home could provide them with a significant advantage. The hosts will be keen to make the most of the conditions and secure a place in the final. They will also be eager to maintain their winning momentum after defeating Zambia in the opening game.

Sami Sohail could be one of the players to watch out for. He scored 117 runs in four innings during the T20 World Cup qualifiers at an impressive strike rate of 158.11. Given his ability to score quickly, we back him to score more than 25 runs in the upcoming contest.

Kelvin Thuchila is another key player for Malawi. The right-arm pacer can make an impact with his new-ball swing and claimed seven wickets in four matches during the qualifiers at an excellent economy rate of 4.19. His best bowling performance came when he returned remarkable figures of 6/8. He will be one of Malawi's biggest threats with the ball against Rwanda.

Rwanda Predicted Playing XI:

Gift Kansonkho, Wesley Chawinga, Samson Nyirenda, Murray Goodwin, Kondwani Mvula, Chimwemwe Idana, Moses Chikoti, Alick Lungu, Victor Nyirenda, Blessings Chitawo, Elliot Chiwaka

Zambia Preview

Rwanda enter the contest on the back of an impressive performance in their opening game, defeating Zambia by seven wickets. They chased down 143 with 11 balls to spare, with Hamza Khan leading the way with a quickfire 56 off 36 balls. Martin Akayezu also made an impact with three wickets.

The team has been in excellent form recently, remaining unbeaten in the ICC T20 World Cup Sub-Regional Qualifier with a perfect 6-0 record. In their final match, Rwanda edged Botswana by two runs after successfully defending a modest total of 117.

Rwanda have also produced some remarkable performances with both bat and ball. Against Ivory Coast, they posted a staggering 288 before bowling out their opponents for just 17. Kenya, however, showed resilience by chasing down 102 despite losing eight wickets. Rwanda's bowling attack was particularly impressive, restricting their opponents to fewer than 100 runs in three of their six qualifier matches.

Hamza Khan is likely to be one of the players to watch. The right-hander was the leading run-scorer in the African sub-regional qualifiers, accumulating 288 runs. His standout performances included a remarkable 164 off just 65 balls against Ivory Coast and an unbeaten 60 against Cameroon. Given his recent form, he will be one of the key batters to watch in the upcoming game, and we back him to score more than 25 runs.

With the ball, Muhammad Nadir was Rwanda's standout performer, claiming 13 wickets in six innings at an impressive economy rate of 3.17. Yves Cyusa also made a significant contribution with 10 wickets, while Martin Akayezu picked up eight. Together, the trio played a crucial role in Rwanda's unbeaten qualifying campaign and will once again be central to the team's chances in the tri-series.

Zambia Predicted Playing XI:

Hamza Khan, Didier Ndikubwimana(w/c), Isae Niyomugabo, Daniel Gumyusenge, Oscar Manishimwe, Emile Rukiriza, Muhammad Nadir, Martin Akayezu, Yves Cyusa, Zappy Bimenyimana, Ignace Ntirenganya

Weather Conditions

The weather at Blantyre on 12th August is expected to be sunny with a high of 28°C and a low of 17°C, along with a 0% chance of rain and north winds at 19 kph. 

RWA vs ZAM Pitch Report

The pitch at TCA Oval in Blantyre is expected to favour the batters, offering good bounce and plenty of assistance for stroke-making. However, the new ball could pose a challenge to batters if the conditions are overcast, with seam movement likely to come into play. As the innings progresses, spinners could become more effective and play a key role during the middle overs. The average first-innings score at the venue is around 127 runs, suggesting that a competitive total could be in the 130–140 range.

Scores prediction: 

If Rwanda bat first - 135-140 runs 

If Malawi bat first - 160-170 runs 

Toss: To Bat

During the previous quadrangular series, teams chasing had some success, but sides batting first enjoyed a better winning record overall. The highest successful run chase at this venue stands at 209. However, given the recent trend, the captain winning the toss may prefer to bat first and aim for a competitive total of around 130-140 runs. Both teams have enjoyed considerable success when batting first and are likely to follow the same approach in this fixture.

Toss Prediction: Rwanda to win the coin toss.