Suzie Bates, easily among the greatest cricketers to ever represent New Zealand, has announced she will retire after this year’s Twenty20 World Cup.
Now 38 years old, Bates made her debut for Otago at age 15, and her first international appearance three years later in 2006.
With more than 20 years as a New Zealand representative, including her time as a Tall Fern at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Bates has worn the silver fern for over half of her life.
“When I look back on the past 20-plus years, I can’t quite believe how quickly the time has gone,” she 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.”
To date, Bates has represented New Zealand in cricket 362 times – 181 One-Day Internationals, and 181 Twenty20 Internationals.
Those 362 games make her the second-most capped woman in the history of the sport. Only India’s Harmanpreet Kaur, with 364 appearances, has more – albeit with the caveat of seven test matches, a format the White Ferns have not played during Bates’ career.
As a player, Bates’ record is world-class, and second-to-none among White Ferns.
In ODIs, she’s scored 5964 runs at an average of just over 38, with 13 centuries and a high score of 168, to go with 83 wickets at 34.13. Staggeringly, her record in 79 matches as captain reads 3272 runs at 51.12, with eight centuries.
In T20s, her figures are 4717 runs at 28.93, the most prolific in the women’s game, as well as 62 wickets at 23.80.
And admittedly, while her records will likely be eventually passed by current White Ferns captain Amelia Kerr, many of Bates’ successes came before New Zealand’s women turned professional in 2014-15.
“Suzie really is one of the greatest cricketers of all time,” 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.
“She’ll be hugely missed in the White Ferns whānau, but I know she’s still got a bit more left in the tank.”
In 2013, Bates was named as the ICC’s Women’s ODI cricketer of the year, and won both the women’s ODI and T20I player of the year awards in 2016.
In 2015, Wisden – regarded as cricket’s bible – named her the world’s leading women’s player.
Bates’ crowning achievement came in 2024, when the White Ferns ended a 24-year wait for an international trophy by lifting the T20 World Cup in the UAE.
That tournament completed an incredible turnaround for the side, who lost 10 matches in succession in the build-up, but peaked at the perfect time to defeat South Africa in the final.
Across six games, Bates finished as the White Ferns’ joint-top scorer, with 150, the fourth-best tally at the tournament.
The White Ferns have been drawn against hosts England, Ireland, Scotland and the West Indies for their World Cup title defence, beginning on June 13.
Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.