Brazil’s Laura Cardoso, 21, etched her name into the record books by producing a landmark bowling display in Women’s T20 International cricket. Against Lesotho, she became the first player in either men’s or women’s T20I history to claim nine wickets in a single innings, finishing with figures of 9/4 in just three overs and dismantling the opposition with alarming speed.
A historic bowling performance
Cardoso’s haul shattered established benchmarks in the T20I format. She surpassed Sonam Yeshey, whose best in men’s T20Is previously stood at eight wickets, and she also eclipsed Rohmalia Rohmalia’s seven-wicket mark in women’s T20Is.
- She sparked the collapse early by taking a hat-trick, immediately tilting the contest in Brazil’s favour.
- In her next over, Cardoso struck again, claiming four additional wickets to move her tally to seven.
- Keeping the pressure on with the same control and rhythm, she returned for her final over and added two more wickets to complete the unprecedented nine-wicket haul.
Such a feat had never been recorded before in T20I cricket, making her spell a unique moment in the game’s shortest format.
Brazil’s all-round dominance
While Cardoso’s bowling was the defining highlight, Brazil had laid a strong foundation with the bat. They posted a total of 202 runs, with Roberta Avery providing a key contribution of 48 and Monnike Machado supporting the innings with an unbeaten 69.
With that commanding score set, Cardoso then ensured the match would not drift away from Brazil’s control. Lesotho’s batting order struggled to handle her pace and accuracy and folded for just 13 runs in 6.2 overs. Marianne Artur took the final wicket, sealing a comprehensive 189-run victory for Brazil.
Cardoso’s spell didn’t just secure a thumping win—it also created a new world record in T20I cricket, permanently placing her among the sport’s most remarkable performers.
