New Zealand allrounder Suzie Bates will miss the upcoming home series against Zimbabwe in February-March 2026 with a quadricep injury. Bates, 38, will also miss the remainder of the domestic home summer for Otago and will remain on the sidelines for three months.
Bates suffered the injury last month while fielding for Otago during the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield, New Zealand women's domestic one-day competition. Subsequent scans revealed that due to the severity of the tear, she will require three months of rehabilitation. This is the second injury blow for New Zealand in recent weeks after Eden Carson faces a longer period out because of an elbow injury.
Bates is hoping to return to action in the white-ball series against South Africa in March.
"I'm gutted to be missing out this summer, I was really looking forward to another season with the [Otago] Sparks, especially the Super Smash," Bates said in an NZC statement. "I'm determined to get back on the field with the White Ferns in March, so that'll be my focus for now."
Before the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield, Bates had a difficult ODI World Cup in India, managing only 40 runs in five innings at an average of eight and a strike rate of 61.53.