On 9 April 2026, Brazilian fast bowler Laura Cardoso made cricket history by becoming the first player in both men’s and women’s T20 Internationals to take nine wickets in a single innings. Cardoso achieved the feat against Lesotho during the BCA Kalahari Women’s T20I Tournament in Gaborone, Botswana. Her final figures were a remarkable 9/4 in 3 overs, dismantling Lesotho for just 13 runs while defending Brazil's total of 202/8.
She started her spell in the second over with a hat-trick off her fourth, fifth, and sixth deliveries.In the fourth over, she claimed four more wickets, achieving the rare feat of taking five wickets in five balls across two overs.
She took the first nine wickets of the innings. She was only denied a "perfect ten" when teammate Marianne Artur took the final wicket in the seventh over. Out of her nine wickets, four were bowled, four were LBW, and one was a catch.
According to reports from ESPNcricinfo and Al Jazeera, this 189-run victory keeps Brazil unbeaten and at the top of the group table in the tournament.
Laura Cardoso’s rise to International recognition
Cardoso first gained international attention as a 16-year-old in October 2021 when she performed an "impossible" final over to lead Brazil to a historic victory. Her primary recognition occurred during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup America’s Qualifier. In a high-stakes match against Canada, the opposition needed only 3 runs from the final over with 5 wickets in hand.
Cardoso took a hat-trick with her third, fourth, and fifth deliveries. Brazil won by 1 run after a frantic final-over collapse that included two run-outs. This was dubbed one of the most dramatic finishes in Brazilian cricket history.
Apart from these achievements, she also has many records to her name.At age 14, she was among the first 14 female cricketers in Brazil to be awarded a central professional contract notably before any of the country's male cricketers.
