Meet Joanna Child, 2nd oldest cricketer to make T20I debut
10 Apr 2025

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 and Mally Moore from Cayman Islands who debuted at ages of 62 years and 145 days and 62 years and 25 days respectively.

Child's debut match performance and team's victory
Match details

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.

Child's career and team's age diversity
Team dynamics

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.

Joanna Child's contributions and fan support
Player performance

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.