Veteran New Zealand fast bowler Lea Tahuhu has officially announced her retirement from ODI cricket, bringing an end to a remarkable chapter in her international career that spanned more than 15 years. The 35-year-old leaves the format as the White Ferns’ all-time leading wicket-taker in ODIs, having claimed 125 wickets in 103 matches at an impressive average of 28.01. Her departure marks the end of an era for New Zealand women’s cricket, with Tahuhu widely regarded as one of the most influential fast bowlers the team has produced.
A record-breaking ODI journey for Lea Tahuhu
Tahuhu’s journey in international cricket began in June 2011, when she made her ODI debut against Australia in Brisbane at just 20 years of age. From the very beginning, she stood out for her raw pace and aggressive style of bowling – qualities that are rare in women’s cricket. Over the years, she developed into the leader of New Zealand’s pace attack, consistently delivering match-changing spells with the ball.
Across more than a decade, Tahuhu became known for her ability to generate bounce, attack batters with pace, and deliver crucial breakthroughs when her team needed them the most. Her consistency eventually saw her rise to the top of New Zealand’s ODI bowling charts. By the time she decided to step away from the format, she had accumulated 125 wickets, the highest by any White Ferns bowler in ODI history, while maintaining a respectable economy rate of 4.54.
Her longevity and reliability also placed her among an elite group of cricketers. Tahuhu is one of only 12 players to represent the White Ferns in more than 100 ODI matches, highlighting her importance to the team over the years.
One of the defining moments of her career came in September 2021, when she recorded her maiden ODI five-wicket haul, finishing with 5/37 against England. The performance was particularly emotional as it came after she had returned to international cricket following a cancer scare, making the achievement even more meaningful.
Tahuhu also made her presence felt on the biggest stage in women’s cricket – the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup. She represented New Zealand in four editions of the tournament (2013, 2017, 2022, and 2025), collecting 36 wickets in World Cup matches. That tally stands as the highest by a New Zealand bowler in the competition and places her ninth on the overall list of World Cup wicket-takers.
Her outstanding performances did not go unnoticed. In 2023, Tahuhu was honoured with a place in the ICC Women’s ODI Team of the Year, a recognition of her continued impact in the format.
Tahuhu to focus on her T20 career
Tahuhu’s final ODI appearance came during the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup, where she played against England. Reflecting on her long journey in international cricket, the veteran pacer expressed heartfelt gratitude for the opportunity to represent her country.
“It’s always been a privilege and honour to pull on the White Ferns shirt in ODI cricket,” Tahuhu said in a statement released by New Zealand Cricket. “To get one game was an amazing feeling. To have been able to wear the shirt and represent my country and my family over 100 times in ODI cricket is something I never could have dreamt of. I’ll treasure every moment and walk away from the ODI game incredibly proud of what I’ve been able to achieve in the format.”
While stepping away from ODI cricket, Tahuhu has made it clear that her international journey is not over just yet. She will continue to represent New Zealand in T20 internationals, with her focus now firmly on helping the team defend their T20 World Cup title in England later this year.
“Winning the T20 World Cup in 2024 was a huge achievement and I’m really motivated to be over in England later this year to help this team defend our title,” she affirmed.
New Zealand Cricket has already confirmed that Tahuhu will remain part of the squad for the upcoming T20I series against South Africa, scheduled to begin on March 15.
White Ferns head coach Ben Sawyer also paid tribute to the veteran pacer, praising her consistency and leadership over the years.
“Lea has operated at the top of the women’s ODI game for 15 years, which is a huge achievement for a pace bowler,” Sawyer said. “Lea’s pace has always been a strength, but her competitiveness and drive to push this team forward has stood out and that has rubbed off on the younger bowlers who are now coming through and learning their craft in the ODI game.”
He added that finishing her ODI career as New Zealand’s leading wicket-taker is an achievement she should be “very proud of.”
Off the field, Tahuhu shares a special connection with New Zealand cricket as well. She is married to former White Ferns captain Amy Satterthwaite, and the couple welcomed their daughter in January 2020.
This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.
