Brazil's Laura Cardoso Achieves Best-Ever T20I Bowling Figures: 9 Wickets In 4 Overs
Brazil fast bowler Laura Cardoso entered the record books, becoming the first player in either men's or women's T20I cricket to pick up nine wickets in a single innings
- Laura Cardoso took nine wickets for four runs in a T20I match against Lesotho
- Cardoso's 9/4 is the best-ever bowling figure in T20I cricket history
- Brazil scored 202 runs, with Monnike Machado making 69 not out and Roberta Avery 48
Brazil fast bowler Laura Cardoso entered the record books, becoming the first player in either men's or women's T20I cricket to pick up nine wickets in a single innings. Cardoso delivered the sensational spell against Lesotho, finishing with extraordinary figures of 9/4 from her three overs - the best-ever bowling figures in T20I cricket - at the BCA Kalahari Women's T20I Tournament at the Botswana Cricket Association Oval 2 in Gaborone.
The previous record was held by Bhutan's Sonam Yeshey, who claimed eight wickets for just seven runs against Myanmar in a men's T20I in 2025.
In women's T20Is, Cardoso surpassed Indonesia's Rohmalia Rohmalia's figures of 7/0 against Mongolia in 2024, according to the ICC.
Earlier in the match on Thursday, Brazil posted a commanding total of 202, powered by impressive knocks from Roberta Avery (48 off 35) and Monnike Machado (69 not out off 41).
Cardoso's incredible spell began in the second over, when the pacer picked up a hat-trick. She followed it up with four more wickets in the fourth over to take her tally to seven.
Two additional wickets in the sixth over saw her reach an unprecedented nine wickets in an innings.
The final wicket was claimed by Marianne Artur, as Lesotho were bowled out for just 13 in 6.2 overs, handing Brazil a massive 189-run victory.Â
Brazil have been in dominant form throughout the tournament. In a previous fixture, they outclassed Zambia Women by 174 runs in a comprehensive all-round display. Cardoso led from the front with a quickfire half-century, while Laura Agatha struck 62 as the pair stitched together a crucial 105-run partnership to guide the side to 200/5.
Zambia's response in that match faltered early and never recovered, as they were bowled out for just 26 in 15.1 overs. Maria Ribeiro starred with a five-wicket haul, while Cardoso contributed with three wickets to dismantle the batting lineup.
With commanding performances in both batting and bowling departments, Brazil have emerged as a formidable force in the tournament.