New Zealand legend Suzie Bates will retire from international cricket following the T20 World Cup.
Suzie Bates set to retire from international cricket
On Thursday (April 23), the 38-year-old announced via New Zealand Cricket that she would retire from international cricket after the women's T20 World Cup, which will be held in England this year.
“When I look back on the past twenty-plus years, I can’t quite believe how quickly the time has gone,” Bates said. “I'm immensely proud to have worn the fern so many times, and I’ve been filled with enormous purpose and joy in striving each day to be a better person, teammate, cricketer, and athlete for this team.
“Words can’t truly express my gratitude to all my teammates and coaches along the way. I have one final mission: to head to the UK - a place that holds so many special memories for me - and win another World Cup.”
Bates was New Zealand's joint-leading run-scorer as they won their first T20 World Cup title in 2024, and won the Player of the Tournament award at the 2013 ODI World Cup.
She debuted for New Zealand in 2006, aged 18, and has been ever-present for the White Ferns since then. With 181 ODIs and T20Is each, her 362 international caps are the second-most ever in women's cricket; India's Harmanpreet Kaur leads the pack with 364. She also represented New Zealand at the 2008 Olympics in basketball, playing for professional clubs in Australia and New Zealand as well.
She is the leading run-scorer in T20 international cricket (across genders), with 4,717 to her name. Bates also sits fourth on the list of leading run-scorers in women's ODIs, and her 14 international centuries put her joint-fourth on the all-time list. She was named the ICC Women's ODI Cricketer of the Year in 2013, before winning that award again in 2016 alongside the ICC Women's T20I Cricketer of the Year. In 2015, she was named Wisden's Leading Woman Cricketer in the World.
“Suzie really is one of the greatest cricketers of all time,” New Zealand skipper Amelia Kerr said. "Growing up Suzie was my role model, and I was fortunate enough to make the team when she was captain.
“If you’ve ever been lucky enough to play alongside her you’ll know that she’s one of the most selfless cricketers in the world and one of the greatest teammates. Her record speaks for itself, she's paved the way for a long time in women’s cricket, and what she’s done for cricket, the women’s game, and sport in New Zealand, she should be very proud of.”
