New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter Bernadine Bezuidenhout has announced her retirement from international cricket at the age of 30. She made this decision to focus on The EPIC Sports Project, a charitable trust she founded.
Bezuidenhout, originally from South Africa, represented her birth country in 2014 before moving to New Zealand and debuting for the White Ferns in 2018. Throughout her career, she played 20 ODIs (including four for South Africa) and 29 T20Is (seven for South Africa).
Reflecting on her career, Bezuidenhout said, “Playing for the White Ferns has been a huge privilege and honour. The journey has taught me so much and I’ll be forever grateful to everyone who has been on the path with me. I’m at peace with this decision, but it wasn’t an easy one to make.”
She explained her decision, saying, “I’ve struggled to find a balance between my work and playing career for a while now, and after a lot of thought and reflection, I feel that it’s the right time to pivot and put my full focus on The EPIC Sports Project.”
New Zealand head coach Ben Sawyer praised Bezuidenhout for her contributions on and off the field. “We’re proud of the work that Bernie does outside of cricket and I have no doubt she’ll continue to make a positive impact on the lives of many,” Sawyer said.
Bezuidenhout will continue to play domestically and plans to be available for Northern Districts next season.
