Suzie Bates

Suzie Bates is a New Zealand batter and former captain, one of the leading run-scorers in women's international cricket history and also a former basketball international.

Suzannah Wilson Bates was born on 16 September 1987 in Dunedin, New Zealand, and developed into one of the finest all-round players in the history of women's cricket, making her ODI debut for New Zealand in 2006. Bates, who also represented New Zealand at basketball at a national level before focusing on cricket, became a two-time ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year, winning both the ODI and T20I awards in 2013 and again in 2016. Bates captained New Zealand's national women's team for a significant period of her career, and represents Otago domestically while playing extensively in franchise leagues worldwide, including in Australia, England, and the Caribbean. Bates has continued to compete for New Zealand well into her late thirties, and was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in recognition of her contributions to the sport, remaining one of the most consistently excellent and record-setting batters in the history of the women's game.

Bates is an aggressive top-order batter known for her powerful strokeplay and ability to dominate bowling attacks. She combines technical proficiency with an attacking mindset, particularly effective in scoring boundaries through the off-side. As an occasional off-spin bowler, she provides useful bowling options and is an exceptional fielder.

Bates has been instrumental in raising the profile of women's cricket in New Zealand and globally through her consistent performances and leadership over more than 15 years of international cricket.

• ICC Women's ODI Cricketer of the Year 2011 & 2017
• New Zealand Cricketer of the Year multiple times
• leading T20I run-scorer among women for a period