New Zealand’s experienced fast bowler Lee Tahuhu has officially announced his retirement from ODI cricket, ending a remarkable chapter of his international career spanning over 15 years. The 35-year-old left the format as the White Ferns’ all-time leading wicket-taker in ODIs, with 125 wickets in 103 matches at an impressive average of 28.01. Her departure marks the end of an era for New Zealand women’s cricket, with Tahuhu widely regarded as one of the team’s most influential fast bowlers.
A record-breaking ODI tour for Lee Tahuhu
Tahuhu’s journey in international cricket began in June 2011, when he made his ODI debut against Australia in Brisbane at the age of just 20. From the beginning, she was renowned for her fast pace and aggressive bowling style – qualities that are rare in women’s cricket. Over the years, she developed into the leader of New Zealand’s pace attack and consistently bowled match-changing spells with the ball.
Over the course of more than a decade, Tahuhu has been known for his ability to generate bounce, attack batsmen with pace and deliver crucial breakthroughs when his team needed them most. His consistency eventually took him to the top of New Zealand’s ODI bowling charts. By the time he decided to move away from the format, he had taken 125 wickets while maintaining a respectable economy rate of 4.54, the most by any White Ferns bowler in ODI history.
His longevity and reliability also put him among an elite group of cricketers. Tahuhu is one of only 12 players to represent the White Ferns in more than 100 ODI matches, highlighting her importance to the team over the years.
A defining moment of his career came in September 2021, when he recorded his first ODI five-wicket haul with 5/37 against England. This performance was particularly emotional as it came after his return to international cricket following a cancer diagnosis, making the achievement even more meaningful.
Tahuhu also made her presence felt at the biggest stage of women’s cricket – the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup. He represented New Zealand in four editions of the tournament (2013, 2017, 2022 and 2025), taking 36 wickets in World Cup matches. This is the most by any New Zealand bowler in the competition and places him ninth in the overall list of World Cup wicket-takers.
His excellent performance did not go unnoticed. In 2023, Tahuhu was honored by being named in the ICC Women’s ODI Team of the Year, in recognition of her continued impact in the format.
Tahuhu to FFocus on his T20 career
Tahuhu’s final ODI appearance came during the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup, where she played against England. Reflecting on his long journey in international cricket, the veteran fast bowler expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the opportunity to represent his country.
“It has always been a privilege and an honor to wear the White Ferns shirt in one-day cricket,” Tahuhu said in a statement released by New Zealand Cricket. “Winning a match was an amazing feeling. To be able to wear the shirt and represent my country and my family more than 100 times in ODI cricket is something I never dreamed of. I will cherish every moment and feel incredibly proud of what I have been able to achieve from the ODI game to this format.”
While staying away from ODI cricket, Tahuhu has made it clear that his international journey is not over yet. She will continue to represent New Zealand in T20 Internationals and her focus is now on helping the team defend the T20 World Cup title in England later this year.
“Winning the T20 World Cup in 2024 was a huge achievement and I’m really motivated to go to England later this year and help this team defend their title.” He confirmed.
Also read: Australia bid a farewell to Alyssa Healy with a 10-wicket win over India in the one-off Test.
New Zealand Cricket has already confirmed that Tahuhu will remain part of the squad for the upcoming T20 series against South Africa starting on March 15.
White Ferns head coach Ben Sawyer also paid tribute to the veteran fast bowler and praised his consistency and leadership over the years.
“Lee has operated at the top of the women’s ODI game for 15 years, which is a huge achievement for a fast bowler.”Sawyer said. “Lee’s pace has always been a strength, but his competitiveness and drive to drive this team forward has been outstanding and has rubbed off on the young bowlers who are now coming into the one-day game and learning their craft.”
He said that finishing his ODI career as the highest wicket-taker for New Zealand is an achievement he should have “Very proud.”
Outside the field, Tahuhu also has a special relationship with New Zealand cricket. She is married to former White Ferns captain Amy SatterthwaiteAnd the couple welcomed their daughter in January 2020.
Also read: ICC Women’s ODI Rankings – Smriti Mandhana and Alana King claim top spot
This article was first published here WomenCricket.comA Cricket Times Company.
