Laura Wolvaardt broke the world record for scoring the most runs in a T20I series or tournament.
The South Africa captain was in supreme form in the five-game T20I series against India, slamming 330 runs at 82.50 in five matches with a hundred and three fifties, while striking at 168.36. She capped off the series with an unbeaten 56-ball 92, hitting consecutive sixes from her last two deliveries.
Wolvaardt began the series with a 39-ball 51 in a successful 158-run chase for South Africa, and followed it up with a 54 (34) in another triumphant chase. She then hit a record-equalling 17th ODI century in the fourth game: a 53-ball 115 featuring 14 fours and five maximums, which took her side home in the 17th over of a 193-run chase and gave them an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series.
A rare failure in the fourth T20I followed, as India registered their first win of the series. Wolvaardt entered the fifth T20I 72 runs short of Hayley Matthews’ record of the most runs scored in a women’s T20I or tournament. The West Indies great held the record since October 2023, when she slammed 310 runs in a three-T20I series against Australia.
Opening the batting, the South Africa captain started with two back-to-back boundaries in the first over and raced to 25-ball 44 by the end of the powerplay. She eventually completed her fifty off 30 deliveries but lost her opening partner Sune Luus in the same over. South Africa lost two more wickets quickly, going down to 82-3 from 75-0.
5th T20I, South Africa Women vs India Women
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The quick wickets forced Wolvaardt to slow down in the middle overs as she scored 26 runs off her next 20 balls, hitting just two boundaries after completing her half-century before the twin maximums in the last over. She was also starved of strike towards the end, playing only six balls in the last three overs as South Africa posted 155-6. Wolvaardt remained unbeaten on 92 off 56.
Most runs in a WT20I series, full list: Laura Wolvaardt goes top after India series
| Batter | Team | Matches | Runs | Series/Tournament | Season |
| Laura Wolvaardt | South Africa | 5 | 330 | India in South Africa T20I Series | 2026 |
| Hayley Matthews | West Indies | 3 | 310 | West Indies in Australia T20I Series | 2023/24 |
| Chamari Athapaththu | Sri Lanka | 5 | 304 | Asia Cup (Sri Lanka) | 2024 |
| Maria Castineiras | Argentina | 3 | 300 | Chile in Argentina T20I Series | 2023/24 |
| Sophie Devine | New Zealand | 4 | 297 | South Africa in New Zealand T20I Series | 2019/20 |
| Rebecca Blake | Romania | 5 | 291 | Greece Women's T20I Cricket Championship (Greece) | 2023 |
| Lucy Barnett | Isle of Man | 4 | 282 | Women's Valletta Cup (Malta) | 2024 |
| Fatuma Kibasu | Tanzania | 7 | 280 | ICC Women's T20 World Cup Africa Region Qualifier (Botswana) | 2021 |
| Gaby Lewis | Ireland | 7 | 276 | ICC Women's T20 World Cup Global Qualifier (Nepal) | 2025/26 |
| Amelia Kerr | New Zealand | 5 | 276 | South Africa in New Zealand T20I series | 2026 |
