Laura Cardoso Takes Record 9/4, First Ever in T20Is
Brazil all-rounder Laura Cardoso created history by becoming the first cricketer in men’s or women’s cricket to take 9 wickets in a T20I innings.
The 21-year-old achieved the feat against Lesotho during the Kalahari Women’s T20I Tournament in Botswana. The match was played at Gaborone (Oval 2) on April 9, 2026.
Cardoso finished with stunning figures of 3 overs, 2 maidens, 4 runs, 9 wickets (3-2-4-9), including a hat-trick.
Laura Cardoso breaks all T20I bowling records
Laura Cardoso becomes first-ever to take 9 wickets in a T20I. She now holds the record for the best bowling figures in T20I history.
She went past Bhutan’s Sonam Yeshey, who had taken 8 for 7 against Myanmar in men’s T20Is last year.
In women’s cricket, the previous record belonged to Indonesia’s Rohmalia Rohmalia, who had figures of 7 for 0 against Mongolia in April 2024.
Here are the best bowling figures in women’s T20Is:
- Laura Cardoso (Brazil): 9/4 vs Lesotho – Gaborone, April 9, 2026
- Rohmalia Rohmalia (Indonesia): 7/0 vs Mongolia – Bali, April 24, 2024
- Frederique Overdijk (Netherlands): 7/3 vs France – Cartagena, August 26, 2021
- Alison Stocks (Argentina): 7/3 vs Peru – Seropedica, October 14, 2022
- Samantha Danudekeniya (Cyprus): 7/15 vs Czech Republic – Vinor, May 2, 2025
Laura Cardoso leads Brazil to dominant 189-run win
Brazil posted 202 for 8 after batting first. Cardoso scored just 4 runs, getting out off her second ball.
However, she turned the game completely with the ball.
Lesotho were bowled out for just 13 runs, which is the seventh-lowest total in women’s T20Is.
Brazil won the match by 189 runs, their third-biggest victory in T20Is.
How Laura Cardoso’s record spell unfolded
Cardoso started her spell in the second over. She struck immediately and picked up a hat-trick, taking wickets off her fourth, fifth and sixth deliveries.
She returned in the fourth over and took 4 wickets in 5 balls.
Cardoso then added 2 more wickets in the sixth over to complete her 9-wicket haul.
At one stage, Lesotho were struggling at 13 for 9 and Cardoso looked set to take all 10 wickets.
However, Marianne Artur picked up the final wicket in the next over, denying Cardoso a clean sweep.
Brazil are now top of the points table. They have won all 5 group-stage matches and remain the only unbeaten team in the tournament.
Best figures by full-member in T20Is
Among full-member nations:
- Amy Satterthwaite (New Zealand) holds the women’s record with 6/17 vs England in Taunton on August 16, 2007.
- Deepak Chahar (India) holds the men’s record with 6/7 vs Bangladesh in Nagpur on November 10, 2019.