Brazil’s Laura Cardoso has made history by becoming the first-ever player to take nine wickets in a T20 international match. The 21-year-old seamer achieved the outstanding achievement on 9 April 2026, taking 9-4 versus Lesotho in the Kalahari Women’s T20 tournament in Gaborone, Botswana. Cardoso’s extraordinary performance came as Lesotho were bowled out for just 13 runs in 6.2 overs whilst chasing Brazil’s total of 203. The historic tally, accomplished in just three overs, surpasses the earlier T20 international mark of eight wickets, set by Bhutan’s Sonam Yeshey, and establishes a new benchmark for women’s cricket in the format.
A historic event in Gaborone
Cardoso’s remarkable spell developed with breathtaking precision during Brazil’s match at the Kalahari Women’s T20 tournament. The promising pace bowler initiated her extraordinary run of dismissals by securing five consecutive wickets, covering the last three balls of the second over and the first two deliveries of the fourth. This devastating sequence had Lesotho struggling at 8-5, dealing with an impossible task. She then took two additional dismissals in the same over, posting a further maiden over, before dismissing a further brace of batters in the final over to establish her place in sporting folklore.
Cardoso was ultimately denied a perfect 10-wicket haul when teammate Marianne Artur executed the stumping of Lindiwe Polaki, just one of three Lesotho batters to register a run in the match. Despite missing out on the extra wicket, Cardoso’s nine-wicket haul remains an unparalleled achievement in T20 international competition. Her display has attracted considerable attention, with Cricket Brasil president Roberta Moretti, who observed each dismissal from her position at first slip, voicing confidence in the young player’s future potential at the highest level.
- Five consecutive wickets spanning second and fourth overs
- Two additional dismissals during the same over recorded
- Another pair of batters dismissed in the fifth over
- Denied tenth wicket when Artur achieved Polaki’s stumping
Breaking records throughout the competition
Cardoso’s nine-wicket haul constitutes a watershed moment in international T20 cricket, surpassing both men’s and women’s competitions. The Brazilian seamer’s 9-4 figures have obliterated the earlier record, which had stood for just over a year. Her performance underscores the impressive ascent of a player who, at just 21 years of age, has already demonstrated the technical skill and mental fortitude required to perform at the highest echelons of the sport. This record-breaking performance has firmly established Cardoso as one of cricket’s most thrilling emerging talents, with her meteoric rise from grassroots programmes to international prominence serving as an inspiration to aspiring cricketers across Brazil and beyond.
The significance of Cardoso’s performance goes further than simple numbers; it marks a watershed moment for Brazilian cricket worldwide. Her commanding performance in Gaborone has attracted worldwide recognition and highlighted the breadth of skill coming out of cricket development initiatives across South America. Cricket Brasil president Roberta Moretti has already pinpointed Cardoso as a talent with real promise to compete at elite level in established cricketing nations such as England and Australia. The young seamer’s commitment to improvement, enthusiasm, and dedication to her craft suggest that this record may merely represent the opening chapter of an remarkable journey, with additional accomplishments surely to follow.
Previous record holders
Before Cardoso’s outstanding performance, the T20 international record was held by Bhutan’s Sonam Yeshey, who captured eight wickets for seven runs against Myanmar in a men’s T20 international in 2025. In women’s cricket specifically, Indonesia’s Rohmalia Rohmalia had held the distinction with seven wickets for no runs against Mongolia in 2024. Cardoso’s nine-wicket haul has substantially beaten both benchmarks, setting a new benchmark that will almost certainly be the peak of T20 international bowling performance for the foreseeable future.
Cardoso’s outstanding bowling display
The framework of Cardoso’s historic performance reveals a bowling display of remarkable precision and precision. The 21-year-old’s formidable display commenced during the 2nd over, where she captured five straight wickets across the final three deliveries of that over and the opening two balls of the 4th over. This sustained burst left Lesotho in a situation of utter chaos at 8-5, with the match virtually concluded as a competition before the halfway point of the innings. Cardoso’s capacity for maintaining accuracy and intensity whilst operating at such a destructive pace demonstrated the hallmarks of a authentically top-tier international performer.
Cardoso’s supremacy remained unrelenting as she claimed two additional dismissals to finish a first over, before taking another pair of batsmen to her tally in the 5th over. Her performance was ultimately denied the gloss of a perfect 10-wicket haul when teammate Marianne Artur achieved the last wicket, dismissing Lindiwe Polaki to conclude Lesotho’s capitulation for just 13 runs. Despite this small setback to her personal haul, Cardoso’s nine-wicket achievement stands as an unprecedented achievement in T20 international cricket, a reflection of her outstanding ability and psychological strength under pressure.
| Over | Key moments |
|---|---|
| Second over | Takes final three wickets, beginning her five-wicket streak across consecutive deliveries |
| Fourth over | Completes five consecutive wickets with first two deliveries; Lesotho reduced to 8-5 |
| Fourth over (conclusion) | Takes two further wickets to record a maiden over |
| Fifth over | Removes another pair of batsmen, extending her haul to nine wickets |
Opportunities and prospects for cricket in Brazil
Cardoso’s record-breaking performance has catapulted Brazilian cricket into the international spotlight and justified the funding of community cricket initiatives that developed this exceptional talent. At just 21 years old, she has already accomplished what many experienced cricketers never accomplish, demonstrating a level of maturity and ability that belies her comparative inexperience. Cricket Brasil president Roberta Moretti, who observed every dismissal from her vantage point at first slip, is convinced this is merely the start of Cardoso’s journey. “I don’t think this is the end,” Moretti told BBC Sport, stressing her belief that the emerging fast bowler has the capability to compete at the top tiers of the sport.
Moretti’s appraisal of Cardoso’s trajectory is especially striking given her firsthand observation of the performance and her intimate knowledge of the cricketer’s personality and work ethic. The head of Cricket Brasil underscored Cardoso’s humble origins within the grassroots cricket development suggesting her emergence marks a achievement for the Brazilian cricket system. “She came from one of our development programmes and through all of the progression routes and is one of the most accomplished cricketers Brazil has produced,” Moretti stated. Looking forward, Moretti envisions a scenario where Cardoso plays at elite level in England and Australia, symbolising the pinnacle of ambition for Brazil’s female cricketers.
- Cardoso advanced through Brazil’s grassroots cricket programmes and structured pathways
- At 21, she has the potential to perform at the highest standard in England and Australia
- Her track record demonstrates the calibre emerging from Brazilian cricket advancement