Laura Cardoso Sets World Record with Nine Wickets in T20 Match

In a remarkable achievement, Brazil's Laura Cardoso has set a new world record by taking nine wickets in a T20 international match against Lesotho. Her record-breaking performance came during a game where Lesotho were bowled out for just 13 runs, in a chase for 203, on Wednesday. The 21-year-old seamer achieved stunning bowling figures of 9-4 in just three overs.

This unprecedented feat means that Cardoso now holds the best bowling figures in T20 internationals, surpassing the previous men's record held by Sonam Yeshey of Bhutan, who took eight wickets for seven runs against Myanmar in 2025. In the women's category, Cardoso broke the record previously held by Indonesia's Rohmalia Rohmalia, who had figures of 7-0 against Mongolia in 2024.

Cardoso's extraordinary bowling performance initiated with five consecutive wickets, leaving Lesotho struggling at 8-5. She continued her streak by adding two more dismissals in the same over, marking it as her second maiden over. Cardoso’s pursuit of a tenth wicket was thwarted when Marianne Artur had Lindiwe Polaki stumped. Polaki was notably one of only three Lesotho batters to score runs in a match that concluded in just 6.2 overs.

Roberta Moretti, the president of Cricket Brasil, praised Cardoso’s talent and potential, stating, "I don't think this is the end. She's still only 21, and I believe Laura is someone who can one day play at the elite level in England and Australia. For me, it's a joy to see an athlete like Laura becoming the cricketer she is, with her work ethic and passion for the game. She came from one of our grassroots programmes and through all of the pathways and is one of the greatest cricketers Brazil has produced."

Brazil has maintained an unbeaten record in five matches at the six-team Kalahari Women's T20 tournament, taking place entirely in Gaborone, the capital city of Botswana. As Cardoso continues to break boundaries in her cricketing career, her achievements inspire a new generation of players both in Brazil and worldwide.