New Zealand women’s team’s iconic all-rounder Suzie Bates has decided to retire from international cricket after the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 In England. After playing for almost 20 years, Suzie Bates is now entering the final phase of her career.
Bates has been a pillar of the New Zealand team for years, but before her departure, the former captain has a clear goal in mind, and that is to give everything in the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 and try to end her journey with another coveted trophy.
Suzie Bates to retire after ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026
Recently, Bates has made a comeback after recovering from a quadriceps injury. She is expected to be part of the 15-man squad for the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, which is set to be announced at her old school, Otago Girls’ High School.
After that, she will travel to England with the White Ferns for the ODI and T20 series, which will help them prepare for the tournament. They will be entering the tournament as defending champions, so expectations are already high.
It will be an extra special and emotional event for the all-rounder, as it is her last chance to wear the national jersey, and she will want to make it a memorable one.
Also Read: Mohsin Naqvi’s PCB punishes Mohammad Amir, Faheem Ashraf for fighting in the middle of PSL 2026 match
I Have One Last Mission: Suzie Bates
suzie bates As quoted by ESPN Cricinfo: “When I look back over the last 20 years, I can’t believe how fast the time has passed. I am extremely proud to have worn the fern so often, and I am full of purpose and joy in striving every day to become a better person, teammate, cricketer and athlete for this team.
I have one final mission: to go to the UK – a place that holds so many special memories for me – and win another World Cup. I am going to give every ounce of my energy in this ultimate quest, dedicating every minute to helping this team play the kind of cricket that we and our country can be proud of.’
Bates said, “To my loved ones, my family, thank you for always being there. And to my partner, Scotty and his boys: you have shared in all the ups and downs that this great game has brought into my life. I would also like to pay special tribute to the staff and coaches who have given so much to women’s cricket over many years, often with very little recognition or reward.”
Also read: Hardik Pandya’s family moment goes viral after CSK’s defeat in IPL 2026 match
Suzie Bates’ extraordinary journey in numbers
Suzie Bates’ career has been nothing short of extraordinary. He started playing domestic cricket in 2003 at the age of just 15 and made his international debut in 2006. Over the years, he has broken many records and built a strong legacy. She is the leading run-scorer in Women’s T20 Internationals and is also among the top performers in ODI cricket.
He also captained new zealand In more than 150 matches. Over the years, the all-rounder has scored 5964 runs in 181 ODIs, including 13 centuries and 37 fifties. He also has 4717 runs to his name in 181 T20I matches, where he scored one century and 28 fifties.
The fast bowler has also taken 83 ODI and 62 T20I wickets for the White Ferns. She also reached big milestones like playing more than 350 international matches and scoring more than 25,000 runs across all formats. Apart from cricket, he also made his mark in another sport. Bates represented New Zealand in basketball and was part of the national team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
