New Zealand legends Lea Tahuhu and Sophie Devine have joined teammate Suzie Bates in announcing they’ll retire from international cricket after the T20 World Cup. Bates had already announced her retirement late last week, saying the World Cup in May and June would be her swansong.
And she was joined by Tahuhu and Devine on Wednesday when it was confirmed that they’re retiring as well. Devine will go down as one of the game’s great all-rounders, with 3587 runs and 128 wickets in T20 internationals.
Lea Tahuhu, Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates were all part of the NZ team that won the World Cup in 2024.
(AFP via Getty Images)
The 36-year-old had already retired from ODI cricket after the 50-over World Cup last year. She’s played 310 matches in white-ball cricket since her debut in 2006 (159 in ODIs and 151 in T20s), and sits only behind Bates as New Zealand’s all-time leading run-scorer.
The 35-year-old Tahuhu has played 101 T20s for New Zealand, as well as 103 ODIs. The fast bowler has 223 wickets across both formats, sitting second on the country’s ODI wicket-taker list.
Bates, Devine and Tahuhu were all part of the Kiwi side that won the last women’s T20 World Cup in 2024, and are intent on defending the crown. “There’s no better way I could’ve imagined finishing my career than alongside ‘Soph’ and ‘Suz’, two teammates I’ve shared incredible years and countless memories with,” Tahuhu said.
Lea Tahuhu, Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates are all retiring after the T20 World Cup.
(ICC via Getty Images)Cricket world stunned by triple retirement
New Zealand coach Ben Sawyer said: “To have our three most senior players all finishing their careers at the same tournament is a rare and special occasion. All three have had distinguished careers in their own right and given so much to this team and the game in general.
“There will be a time at the end of the tournament to further acknowledge and celebrate the trio, and I know at present they’re very focused on performing well in their final mission with the team.”
Devine will continue to play T20 franchise cricket. She’s represented the Perth Scorchers and Adelaide Strikers in the WBBL in Australia, and is the competition’s third-highest run-scorer of all-time (with 4195) behind Beth Mooney (5600) and Ellyse Perry (5101).
The 38-year-old Bates is the all-time leading run-scorer in women’s T20 internationals with 4716, and fourth in ODIs with 5936. She’s played 178 ODIs and 177 T20Is for New Zealand, scoring 14 centuries for her country.
With Bates, Devine and Tahuhu all departing at the same time, the Kiwis will undergo a major changing of the guard. The trio have been the backbone of NZ women’s cricket for the last 15 years.