All eyes on Suzie Bates as she aims for fairytale ending in ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026

New Zealand Women’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 the pillar of the New Zealand team over the years, but before she signs off, the former captain has one clear aim in mind, and that is to give everything in the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 and try to finish her journey with another prestigious trophy.

Suzie Bates to retire after ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026

Recently, Bates made a comeback after recovering from a quadriceps injury. She is expected to be part of the 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, with the announcement set to take place at her old school, Otago Girls' High School.

After that, she will travel with the White Ferns to England for the ODI and T20I series, which will help them prepare for the tournament. They will enter the tournament as the defending champions, so the 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 be looking to make it count.

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I have one final mission: Suzie Bates

Suzie Bates was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo: “When I look back on the past 20-plus years, I can't quite believe how quickly the time has gone. 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.

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. I'm going to give every ounce of my energy to this final quest, dedicating every minute to helping this team play the kind of cricket we, and our country, can be proud of.”

Bates added, “To my dear ones, my family, thank you for always being there. And to my partner, Scotty, and his boys: you've shared in all the highs and lows 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 little recognition or reward.”

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Suzie Bates' extraordinary journey in numbers

Suzie Bates’ career has been nothing short of extraordinary. She started playing domestic cricket at just 15 years of age in 2003 and made her international debut in 2006. Over the years, she has broken multiple records and created a strong legacy. She is the highest run-scorer in women’s T20 internationals and among the top performers in ODI cricket as well.

She also captained New Zealand in more than 150 matches. Over the years, the all-rounder has scored 5964 runs in 181 ODIs, hitting 13 centuries and 37 fifties. She also has 4717 runs in 181 T20I matches, where she hit one ton and 28 fifties to her name.

The fast bowler has also taken 83 ODI and 62 T20I wickets for the White Ferns. She even reached big milestones like playing over 350 international matches and scoring more than 25,000 runs across formats. Apart from cricket, she also made her mark in another sport. Bates represented New Zealand in basketball and was part of the national team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.