New Zealand’s all-rounder, Hayley Jensen, has announced her retirement from international cricket, concluding an 11-year tenure in the sport.
Jensen, aged 32, made her debut in 2014 and went on to represent New Zealand in 35 One Day Internationals (ODIs) and 53 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). Her career highlights include participating in four T20 World Cup squads, where she was notably New Zealand’s leading wicket-taker during the 2020 edition held in Australia. She also competed in the 2022 ODI World Cup on home turf. While Jensen had been out of ODI action since late 2022, she was called back to the T20I fold for a series against Sri Lanka in March after two years out, but an injury unfortunately sidelined her.
In addition to her World Cup appearances, Jensen played in the 2022 Commonwealth Games, making a significant impact by taking 3 wickets for 24 runs in the bronze medal match, which saw New Zealand defeat England by eight wickets.
Reflecting on her career, Jensen shared, “Ever since I was 10 years old, I came home from my first cricket tournament and knew I wanted to be a White Fern. To have had the chance to live that dream is something I’ll always treasure,” she expressed. “It’s been an incredible journey – filled with challenges, growth, unforgettable experiences, and the best group of people I could’ve hoped to share it with.”
Acknowledging the emotional transition, she added, “It’s never easy to move on from something that’s meant this much, but I know in my heart it’s time. I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together and even prouder to have been part of the White Ferns environment.”
New Zealand head coach Ben Sawyer also extended his gratitude, “I want to congratulate Hayley on a fantastic international career and thank her for her contributions to the White Ferns environment. Hayley has made key contributions to the team with both bat and ball on the field and always brought a genuine passion and love for the game. We wish her all the best for whatever the future holds.”
Jensen has yet to decide on whether she will continue playing at the domestic level.
