Brazil’s Laura Cardoso has achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first player ever to take nine wickets in a T20 international match. The 21-year-old seamer achieved the outstanding achievement on 9 April 2026, recording figures of 9-4 against 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, achieved in just three overs, exceeds the earlier T20 international mark of eight wickets, held by Bhutan’s Sonam Yeshey, and sets a fresh standard for women’s cricket in the format.
A historic performance in Gaborone
Cardoso’s devastating spell emerged with impressive accuracy during Brazil’s match at the Kalahari Women’s T20 tournament. The promising pace bowler began her outstanding spell of dismissals by securing five wickets in a row, extending across the final three deliveries of the second over and the initial pair of bowls of the fourth. This striking run had Lesotho in disarray at 8-5, confronted with an impossible task. She then took two additional dismissals in the same over, recording a second maiden, before dismissing two more of batters in the closing over to cement her place in sporting folklore.
Cardoso was ultimately denied a complete 10-wicket haul when teammate Marianne Artur executed the stumping of Lindiwe Polaki, just one of three Lesotho batsmen to score a run in the match. Despite missing out on the additional wicket, Cardoso’s nine-wicket performance stands as an unparalleled achievement in T20 international cricket. Her display has garnered widespread recognition, with Cricket Brasil president Roberta Moretti, who observed each dismissal from her position at first slip, voicing confidence in the young player’s prospects at the elite level.
- Five successive wickets spanning second and fourth overs
- Two further dismissals in the same over recorded
- Another couple of batters dismissed in the fifth over
- Denied tenth wicket when Artur achieved Polaki’s stumping
Achieving record-breaking results in the competition format
Cardoso’s nine-wicket haul represents a watershed moment in international T20 cricket, transcending both men’s and women’s competitions. The Brazilian seamer’s figures of 9-4 have obliterated the previous benchmark, which had stood for just over a year. Her accomplishment demonstrates the remarkable trajectory of a player who, at merely 21 years old, has already displayed the technical prowess and mental fortitude required to perform at the highest echelons of the sport. This record-shattering achievement has firmly established Cardoso as one of cricket’s most exciting emerging talents, with her rapid ascent from grassroots programmes to international prominence serving as an source of inspiration for aspiring cricketers across Brazil and beyond.
The relevance of Cardoso’s performance surpasses mere statistics; it marks a pivotal juncture for cricket in Brazil in the international arena. Her commanding performance in Gaborone has drawn global focus and demonstrated the breadth of skill coming out of South American cricket development programmes. Cricket Brasil president Roberta Moretti has already pinpointed Cardoso as a competitor capable of excellence to compete at elite level in established cricketing nations such as England and Australia. The young seamer’s commitment to improvement, passion, and commitment to the sport suggest that this milestone may merely represent the start of an illustrious career, with further achievements surely to follow.
Earlier record holders
Before Cardoso’s outstanding performance, the T20 international record belonged to Bhutan’s Sonam Yeshey, who claimed 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 set the benchmark with seven wickets for no runs against Mongolia in 2024. Cardoso’s nine-wicket haul has substantially beaten both benchmarks, establishing a new standard that will probably remain the peak of T20 international bowling performance for years to come.
Cardoso’s impressive bowling performance
The framework of Cardoso’s historic performance reveals a bowling display of remarkable precision and precision. The 21-year-old’s devastating spell began in earnest during the second over, where she captured five consecutive wickets throughout the last three balls of that over and the first two deliveries of the fourth over. This sustained burst put Lesotho in a position of total collapse at 8-5, with the match virtually concluded as a competition prior to the midway stage of the innings. Cardoso’s ability to maintain precision and drive whilst operating at such a devastating speed displayed the characteristics of a authentically top-tier international cricketer.
Cardoso’s supremacy continued unabated as she secured two additional dismissals to complete a maiden over, before taking another pair of batsmen to her tally in the 5th over. Her performance was ultimately robbed of a complete 10-wicket haul when fellow bowler Marianne Artur effected the last wicket, dismissing Lindiwe Polaki to conclude Lesotho’s collapse for only 13 runs. Despite this small setback to her individual tally, Cardoso’s nine-wicket achievement stands as an unprecedented achievement in T20 international matches, a reflection of her outstanding ability and mental resilience 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 |
Potential and promise for cricket in Brazil
Cardoso’s landmark performance has catapulted Brazilian cricket into the international spotlight and justified the funding of community cricket initiatives that produced this outstanding talent. At just 21 years old, she has already achieved what many experienced cricketers never attain, demonstrating a maturity and skill set that contradicts her comparative inexperience. Cricket Brasil president Roberta Moretti, who witnessed every wicket from her vantage point at first slip, believes this is merely the start of Cardoso’s career trajectory. “I don’t think this is the end,” Moretti told BBC Sport, stressing her belief that the young seamer possesses the ability to perform at the top tiers of the sport.
Moretti’s assessment of Cardoso’s trajectory is particularly compelling given her personal witnessing of the playing ability and her deep understanding of the player’s character and work ethic. The Cricket Brasil president underscored Cardoso’s humble origins within the nation’s grassroots pathways implying her rise represents a success for the country’s cricket infrastructure. “She came from one of our grassroots pathways and through all of the developmental stages and is one of the finest players Brazil has produced,” Moretti remarked. Looking forward, Moretti imagines a scenario where Cardoso plays at the highest level in England and Australia, representing the ultimate goal for Brazilian women’s cricket.
- Cardoso progressed through Brazil’s foundational cricket initiatives and established development routes
- At 21, she has the potential to compete at elite level in England and Australia
- Her record showcases the quality arising out of Brazilian cricket advancement