Veteran New Zealand fast bowler Language He has officially announced his retirement from ODI cricket, ending a remarkable chapter in his international career spanning over 15 years. The 35-year-old leaves the format as the White Ferns’ all-time leading wicket-taker in ODIs with 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 regarded as one of the most influential fast bowlers the team has produced.
Record-breaking ODI outing for Lea Tahuhu
Tahuhu’s journey in international cricket began in June 2011 when he made his ODI debut against Australia in Brisbane at the age of 20. Right from the start, she stood out for her raw pace and aggressive bowling style – qualities rare in women’s cricket. Over the years, he has become the leader of New Zealand’s pace attack, consistently delivering game-changing spells with the ball.
For more than a decade, Tahuhu has been known for his ability to create rebounds, attack shots quickly, and come up big when his team needed them most. His consistency eventually saw New Zealand rise to the top of the ODI bowling charts. He took 125 wickets, the highest by any White Ferns bowler in ODI history, while maintaining a respectable economy rate of 4.54 before deciding to walk away from the format.
His longevity and reliability also put him in the elite group of cricketers. Tahuhu is one of only 12 players to represent the White Ferns in more than 100 ODI matches, highlighting his importance to the team over the years.
One of the defining moments of his career came in September 2021, when he took five wickets in his first ODI, finishing with 5/37 against England. The performance was particularly emotional as he returned to international cricket following a cancer scare, making the achievement all the more meaningful.
Tahuhu also made her presence felt on the biggest stage of women’s cricket – the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup. He has represented New Zealand in four editions of the tournament (2013, 2017, 2022 and 2025) and has taken 36 wickets in World Cup matches. It is the highest tally by a New Zealander in the competition and puts him ninth overall on the World Cup goalkeeping list.
His spectacular performances have not gone unnoticed. In 2023, Tahuhu was awarded a place in the ICC Women’s ODI Team of the Year in recognition of her continued influence in the format.
Tahuhu to flook out for his T20 career
Tahuhu’s last ODI appearance came during the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup against England. Reflecting on his long journey in international cricket, the veteran pacer expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the opportunity to represent his country.
“It has always been a privilege and an honor to wear the White Ferns shirt in ODI cricket” Tahuhu said in a statement released by New Zealand Cricket. “It was an amazing feeling to win a game. To pull on the shirt and represent my country and family 100 times in ODI cricket is something I never dreamed of. I will cherish every moment and walk away from the ODI game incredibly proud of what I have achieved in the format.”
While stepping away from ODI cricket, Tahuhu revealed that his international journey is not over yet. He will continue to represent New Zealand in T20 internationals and will now focus 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 excited to be in England later this year to help this team defend our title.” he confirmed.
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New Zealand Cricket has already confirmed that Tahuhu will remain part of the squad for the upcoming T20I series against South Africa scheduled to start on March 15.
White Ferns head coach Ben Sawyer also paid tribute to the veteran pacer, praising his consistency and leadership over the years.
“Lea has been at the top of the women’s ODI game for 15 years, which is a great achievement for a pace bowler.Sawyer said. “Lea’s pace has always been strong, but his competitiveness and drive to push this team forward has stood out and that has rubbed off on the younger bowlers who are now learning their craft in the ODI game.”
He added that ending his ODI career as New Zealand’s leading wicket-taker was an achievement he should have had. “I’m so proud.”
Off the field, Tahuhu also shares a special connection with New Zealand cricket. She is married to the former White Ferns captain Amy Satterthwaiteand the couple welcomed their daughter in January 2020.
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This article was originally published here WomenCricket.coma Cricket Times company.
