Renowned New Zealand batter Suzie Bates reveals her aspiration to extend her illustrious career and represent her country at the Olympics for a second time, as cricket gears up for its eagerly awaited return to Los Angeles in 2028.
Having been part of New Zealand’s basketball squad at the Beijing Games in 2008, the 36-year-old harbors hopes of making a comeback, this time donning cricketing gear, according to reports from ICC. Bates, already holding the title of New Zealand’s highest women’s ODI run-scorer, has amassed numerous accolades, including the ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year award in 2013.
The prospect of cricket returning to the Olympics in 2028, after its last appearance in Paris in 1900, ignited Bates’ interest. Reflecting on the possibility, she admitted, “Look, I did (think of it). I think I was like, ‘How old will I be’? Maybe I don’t need to say that out loud, but it did cross my mind.”
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Having represented New Zealand at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham last year, Bates expressed her gratitude, stating, “I just feel so fortunate that in the sports that I’ve played, I’ve been able to go to an Olympics and play at a Commonwealth Games. I guess to go to another Olympics for a different sport would be pretty special, but I am not putting any huge aspirations on that yet.”
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Amidst a white-ball series at home against Pakistan, Suzie Bates shifts her focus to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup scheduled for Bangladesh next year. New Zealand, twice runners-up in previous editions, aims for a strong performance after failing to progress to the knockout stages in the recent South Africa event where Australia secured their sixth title.
Bates emphasizes that decisions about her playing career, including a potential Olympic return, will be deferred until after the T20 World Cup. “At the moment, the 2024 World Cup in Bangladesh is the next event myself and the team are preparing for,” Bates noted. “I think I’ve learned at my age to not get too far ahead because you know how things can change so quickly, and the game is very fickle.”
She adds, “…And I think after every pinnacle event at my age, you sit back, you check your body, ‘How am I feeling’? You check your mind, ‘How are you feeling?’ And you ask how much you’ve got left. For me, the answer has always been that I have more left than me. So, until that answer is no, that’s when I guess I’ll know.”
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