New Zealand women's cricketer Bernadine Bezuidenhout retires from cricket to focus on charitable endeavours

Bernadine Bezuidenhout, the New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter, has announced her retirement from international cricket at the age of 30, choosing to shift her focus to The EPIC Sports Project, a charitable trust she founded.

Ovaise Shariff

First Published May 31, 2024, 1:54 PM IST | Last Updated May 31, 2024, 1:54 PM IST

Bezuidenhout has announced her retirement from international cricket at the age of 30. The New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter, originally from South Africa, made her debut for South Africa in 2014 before moving to New Zealand and representing them from 2018. She played 20 ODIs and 29 T20Is in total.

The decision to retire was made so that she could focus on The EPIC Sports Project, a charitable trust she founded. "Playing for the WHITE FERNS has been a huge privilege and honor, leaving me with the fondest memories," she said. "It's a decision I'm at peace with, but it wasn't an easy one."

New Zealand head coach Ben Sawyer thanked Bezuidenhout for her contributions both on and off the field. "We're proud of the work Bernie does outside of cricket, and I'm sure she'll continue to make a positive impact," he added.

Despite retiring from international cricket, Bezuidenhout plans to continue playing domestic cricket for Northern Districts next season.