‘Extraordinary’: Brazilian women’s side pulls off miraculous one-run victory over Canada

The Brazilian women’s side has pulled off mission impossible, taking five wickets in the final over to claim an unforgettable win.

The Brazilian national women’s side has claimed a miraculous one-run win over Canada in the ICC Women‘s T20 World Cup Americas Region Qualifiers, taking five wickets in five consecutive deliveries to steal victory from the jaws of defeat.

After winning the toss and electing to field at Mexico’s Reforma Athletic Club on Monday, Canada restricted the Brazilians to just 48/7 from their 17 overs in the rain-affected contest.

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But the Canadians didn’t find batting much easier in response, crawling their way towards 46/5 with six balls remaining.

Regardless, Canada needed just three runs from the final over with five wickets in hand, a scenario in which the batting side would win 99 per cent of the time.

The Brazilian women's cricket team.

Brazilian teenager Laura Cardoso was tasked with bowling the final over, and the 16-year-old seamer started with a dot ball.

For the second delivery, Canada’s Krima Kapadia was run out after attempting a quick single, giving the Brazilians a glimmer of hope.

Cardoso then rattled the Canadian camp by claiming a hat-trick with her next three deliveries, becoming the first Brazilian to achieve the feat in T20 internationals.

She removed Hala Azmat, Hiba Shamshad and Sana Zafar in consecutive deliveries, sending them back to the pavilion for a golden duck.

Suddenly the equation was three runs required from the last ball, with Canada’s highest run-scorer Mukhwinder Gill on strike.

Gill managed to find the gap and desperately scampered between the wickets, looking for a double.

But the 33-year-old was run out while attempting the second run, meaning Brazil had secured a miraculous one-run win.

.@brasil_cricket pull off one of the most extraordinary wins I've ever seen, right up there with Nepal's Miracle at Windhoek. Canada need 3 to win off final over with 5 wickets in hand. Dot, runout, then hat-trick by Laura Cardoso. 1 + runout off final ball. Brazil win by 1 run.

— Peter Della Penna (@PeterDellaPenna) October 25, 2021

LAURA CARDOSO. Remember the name! Incredible finish for @brasil_cricket women in Mexico City. Canada needed three off the final over but 16-year-old Cardoso takes a hat-trick bookended by two run outs to give Brazil a win by one run. DOT WWWWW 🇧🇷🏏

— Timothy Abraham (@TimothyAbraham) October 25, 2021

What an electrifying way to close this tournament for us! #T20WorldCup#HatTrickpic.twitter.com/skPrLuYOT8

— Cricket Brasil (@brasil_cricket) October 25, 2021

According to cricket statistician Kausthub Gudipati, Brazil had become the first team to take five wickets in five balls in international cricket.

Brazil coach Liam Cook tweeted: “I couldn’t be more proud of this group of players. They’ve given everything in this tournament. The hard work they have put in over the last 18 months paid off today … This is just the beginning!”

Brazil captain Roberta Moretti Avery posted: “Would I say I was expecting for a run out WWW run out for the last over to defend 2 to beat Canada today? No, I wasn’t. But what a feeling!”

The USA women’s national team finished top of the ladder in the Americas Qualifier with five wins, and will subsequently advance to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Global Qualifier in 2022.