Suzie Bates

The most accomplished cricketer in the current New Zealand women’s team, Suzie Bates is an ever-reliable runscorer in all conditions. A former Olympic basketballer, Bates started her cricketing career at the age of just 15 being a part of the Otago Sparks in the National Women’s League.

Having made the debut in 2006 for the White Ferns, she was a vital cog of the squad that reached the 2009 ICC World Cup Final. Bates had a memorable group game against the Proteas recording her best bowling figures of 4/7 and smashed 168 off 105 balls against Pakistan in super sixes. In 2013, she continued her legacy and went on to win the 2013 ICC Women’s World Cup and was named as the 'Player of the Tournament' after being the leading run-scorer. 

During a match against South Africa Women in the 2018 Tri-series, Bates score her maiden T20I century and chased down Charlotte Edwards to become the leading run-scorer in the T20 format and the following year she became the first player to cross the 3000-run mark.

Bates has always been a big-match player for her side and has been the queen of ICC events. A world-class player in the Women’s Big Bash League, she skippered Adelaide Strikers in the inaugural edition of WBBL. She led her side to their maiden semi-final in the third edition of WBBL and also smacked her first century in the same edition.

(As of April 2021)