Bates is regarded as one of the greatest cricketers in the history of the women’s game, representing New Zealand more than 150 times in both ODIs and T20Is, and captaining her country for much of that time. She averages north of 40 in 50-over cricket, with 13 hundreds, while in T20Is she averages just under 30, with a high score of 124 not out. Bates has also taken more than 100 international wickets. She has spent time as the ICC’s No.1 ranked batter in both white-ball formats.

The White Ferns have enjoyed a better-than-predicted campaign at the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup, progressing from Group A, heralded as a group of death before the tournament, at the expense of India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. They then beat West Indies in the semi-final to make New Zealand’s first final since 2010. Neither South Africa nor New Zealand have won a Women's T20 World Cup. An ever-present in their campaign, Bates has now moved one game ahead of Mithali Raj, who played 333 times for India, as women’s international cricket’s most capped player.

Notably, Bates’ career is yet to include a Test match, with New Zealand’s last long-format game coming all the way back in 2004, two years before Bates’ debut.

Most appearances in women’s international cricket