Meet Joanna Child, 2nd-oldest cricketer to make T20I debut
What's the story
64-year-old Portugal women's cricketer Joanna Child has created history by becoming the second oldest player to make her debut in a T20 International match.
She made the record during her team's series opener against Norway on April 7 at Albergaria.
With this, she beats Andrew Brownlee from Falkland Islands (62 years, 145 days) and Cayman's Mally Moore (62 years, 25 days).
She now only trails Gibraltar's Sally Barton, who debuted at 66 years and 334 days.
Match details
Child's debut match performance and team's victory
In her debut match, Child scored a mere two runs before being dismissed. However, her team successfully defended a target of 110 runs and won the match.
She was retained in the playing XI for the second and third T20Is.
Her contribution helped Portugal clinch a series win over Norway with a final score of 2-1.
Team dynamics
Child's career and team's age diversity
Before this series, Child had no other competitive appearances to her name. However, her debut has been celebrated by fans across social media for being so inspiring.
The Portuguese squad she was a part of also featured young players such as 15-year-old Ishreet Cheema, 16-year-old Mariam Waseem, and another 16-year-old Afsheen Ahmed.
This unique mix of youth and experience made the team interesting.
Player performance
Joanna Child's contributions and fan support
Throughout the series, Child made a total of two runs in the first match. She also bowled four balls, giving away 11 runs.
Despite these underwhelming numbers, her feat struck a chord with fans who lauded her bravery and fighting spirit.
The applause from fans only emphasizes the importance of Child's milestone in T20 cricket history.