Laura Cardoso

Laura Cardoso Vilas Boas (born 28 March 2005) is a Brazilian cricketer who plays for the women's national cricket team as a right-arm medium fast bowler and right handed batter. In 2021, aged 16, she became the first cricketer, male or female, to take a hat-trick for Brazil in a Twenty20 International (T20I). On 9 April 2026, during the 2026 Kalahari Women's Tournament in Botswana, she set a record for the best bowling figures in a T20I when she took 9/4 against Lesotho.

Early life Cardoso has been involved in sport since she was very young. Initially, she played volleyball. At the age of 11, she switched to cricket, and joined a community cricket project called . By the time she was 12, she was displaying exceptional talent for the game.

International career In January 2020, Cardoso was one of the first 14 cricketers, all of them female, to be centrally contracted by Cricket Brasil. Cardoso made her WT20I debut in the first match of the tournament, against the United States, on 18 October 2021. She took one wicket for six runs in two overs. Three days later, in Brazil's second match against the United States, she took 3/24.

On 25 October 2021, in Brazil's final match of the tournament, against Canada, Cardoso's performance was even more impressive. With Canada poised at 46/5 and needing just three runs in the final over for victory, Moretti handed Cardoso the ball. After beginning the over with a dot delivery, Cardoso watched Canada lose its sixth wicket to a run out off her second ball. She then proceeded to take a hat trick with her third, fourth and fifth deliveries.

Cardoso thus became the first cricketer, male or female, to take a hat-trick for Brazil in a T20I. Brazil then won the match, by taking Canada's final wicket with a run out off the final ball of the innings, to end what has been dubbed the most dramatic over in Brazilian cricket history. She also completed the tournament with a total of 11 wickets, the most of any of the bowlers, from her six matches.

In May 2022, Cardoso and Moretti were recruited to play in the privately run 2022 FairBreak Invitational T20 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. They were both allocated to the Barmy Army team.

On 9 April 2026, during the 2026 Kalahari Women's Tournament in Botswana, she set a record for the best bowling figures in a T20I when she took 9/4 against Lesotho. The first five wickets came from consecutive deliveries.