Roberta Moretti has announced her retirement from international cricket, bringing an end to a 13-year playing career during which she became one of the defining figures in the growth of women’s cricket in Brazil.
The former Brazil captain confirmed her decision in a video posted on Instagram, drawing the curtain on a journey that began in 2013 and coincided with some of the most significant developments in the country’s cricketing landscape. “It has been a long journey. We had a lot of tears but now I feel the moment is right,” Moretti said.
Moretti retires as Brazil’s most-capped women’s T20I cricketer, having played 68 matches for the national team. She scored 1278 runs and claimed 33 wickets during her international career, finishing as one of only two Brazilian women to surpass 1,000 runs in T20Is.
When Moretti made her debut at the South American Championship in Lima in March 2014, Brazil had not yet attained international status. Resources were limited and opportunities were scarce, with players often relying on fundraising initiatives to finance participation in regional tournaments. Over the next decade, Brazilian women’s cricket gradually evolved into a more structured and competitive programme, and Moretti remained a constant presence throughout that transformation.
Reflecting on her journey, she spoke about how her ambitions changed as both she and Brazilian cricket matured. “Since I started playing cricket in 2013, my dream was to represent the Brazilian national team. When I started playing for Brazil, my dream was to win championships. When we started winning, my dream turned out to be about not just winning but winning with clear values, a purpose and that we could be better people through sport. I have given this game everything, but cricket gave me more” she said.
Moretti’s influence was particularly evident during her time as captain. She led Brazil in 33 Women’s T20 Internationals before stepping down in 2023, guiding the team through an important period of development. Under her leadership, Brazil won the South American Women’s Championship twice between 2018 and 2023 and competed in successive Women’s T20 World Cup Americas Region Qualifiers.
Her contributions were also recognised off the field. In January 2020, Moretti was among the first group of players to receive central contracts from Cricket Brazil, a landmark moment for the women’s game in the country. Looking back on those early years, Moretti recalled a time when representing Brazil often required sacrifices that went far beyond performances on the field.
“It was never only about a sport; it was always about growing as people. I am thrilled with every achievement for Cricket Brazil from the time we were just playing South American tournaments when we needed to sell raffles and pizzas to fundraise and compete to know where we are in an Olympic sport. Every story has a cycle, and every cycle has an ending.” she added.
Even after stepping down as captain, Moretti remained heavily involved in the development of cricket in Brazil. Alongside continuing her playing career, she worked with school children and increasingly moved into administration. In June 2025, she was appointed president of Cricket Brazil, becoming one of the few active international cricketers to simultaneously lead a national governing body.
Her final appearance for Brazil came at the ongoing Kwibuka Women’s T20 Tournament in Rwanda, where she signed off with an unbeaten 41 against the hosts. Although her playing career has come to an end, Moretti made it clear that her commitment to the sport remains unchanged.
“I’ll continue to work in cricket on the other side, so that more people have the opportunity I had to wear the Brazil jersey, play the sport they love and become better people and leaders so that they can carry Cricket Brazil with the same pride I carried in my heart for years. The most important thing in all of this is that I leave cricket still loving the game.”
As Brazil continue their push to establish themselves on the international stage, Moretti leaves behind a legacy that extends far beyond runs, wickets and captaincy records. Few players have been as closely linked to the development of a national programme, and fewer still have helped shape its future while still representing it on the field.
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