The uncertainty is hanging in the air long before New Zealand take the field. Suzie Bates arrived at the 2026 Women's T20 World Cup expecting it to be the final chapter of one of cricket's most celebrated international careers, yet two matches into the tournament she has not faced a ball, fielded a delivery or walked out in New Zealand colours. For a player who has spent nearly two decades shaping New Zealand cricket, the possibility of a farewell without a final appearance has become one of the tournament's most unexpected storylines.
The situation emerged after New Zealand left Bates out of their opening two World Cup matches, both of which ended in defeat. Those results have pushed the defending champions into a must-win position for the remainder of the group stage. With every point now crucial, selection decisions are being driven by immediate results rather than sentiment, leaving Bates' involvement uncertain despite this being her final international tournament.

Why Suzie Bates Has Been Left Waiting

New Zealand coach Ben Sawyer offered the clearest explanation yet when discussing the decision to back Izzy Gaze at the top of the order. According to Sawyer, the team has spent months trying to build an approach capable of producing totals between 170 and 180, placing a premium on aggressive powerplay batting. Gaze has opened regularly since February and has been retained because management believe her higher strike rate gives New Zealand a stronger chance of achieving those targets.

The numbers support part of that argument. Bates owns a career T20I strike rate of 108.35, while Gaze's stands at 119.06, albeit from a much smaller sample size. During 2026, Gaze featured in 13 matches as an opener and scored at a strike rate of 131.11. Bates, meanwhile, played only six T20Is last year, scoring 132 runs at 115.78.

"We're pushing the team to make scores of 170-180 to help win matches, so we promoted Izzy up to open since February to help generate a high strike rate in the powerplay."

A Farewell Tour That May Never Reach The Field

What makes the story more complicated is that New Zealand had previously explored different ways to keep Bates involved. Earlier this year she was moved down the order during the series against South Africa, often being listed at No. 8 or lower. The idea appeared to be that her experience, occasional bowling and fielding value could still benefit the side while allowing more aggressive batters to occupy the top positions.

That experiment never fully settled. Bates batted only once from No. 8 during the South Africa series and scored a single run. She was again used low in the order during a warm-up fixture before the World Cup. Later, during New Zealand's pre-tournament series against England, she returned to opening duties by the third match after concerns over her role. The mixed messaging has fuelled questions about exactly where she fits into New Zealand's current plans.

Short and painful. Two games, two defeats, and no place in the XI.

Evidence also exists on the other side of the debate. Bates opened against Bangladesh in a warm-up match before the tournament and struck 45 from 39 deliveries. That innings came at a strike rate of 115.38, close to her career norms, but apparently not enough to convince selectors she could provide the acceleration they wanted. Since then, she has remained on the sidelines while New Zealand's campaign has drifted towards elimination.

Teammate Maddy Green attempted to calm concerns following the defeat to West Indies. Green stressed that Bates remains a highly valued member of the squad and emphasised her influence away from the playing field. Those comments reflected Bates' standing within the group but also highlighted the reality that leadership and experience alone may not guarantee a place in the starting XI during a tournament crisis.

Career T20I Strike Rate (Suzie Bates)108.35
Career T20I Strike Rate (Izzy Gaze)119.06
Gaze Strike Rate in 2026131.11 across 13 matches as opener
Warm-up Performance Before World CupBates 45 off 39 balls vs Bangladesh

What This Means For New Zealand And Bates

The broader concern for New Zealand extends beyond one player. The defending champions have lost their first two matches and now require victories in every remaining group fixture to retain realistic hopes of progressing. Selection has therefore become tied directly to survival. Coaches must decide whether to continue backing the aggressive strategy they believe offers the highest ceiling or whether experience becomes more valuable under pressure.
For Bates, the situation remains unresolved. ESPNcricinfo reports that New Zealand's original thinking was to ensure both Bates and fellow retiree Lea Tahuhu had opportunities to feature during their final international tournament. Results have changed that calculation. Ireland await next, and anything less than victory could effectively end New Zealand's title defence. Whether Bates receives the farewell appearance many supporters hoped to see may now depend not on sentiment, but on the mathematics of qualification and the urgency of a campaign hanging by a thread.