Amelia Kerr has been named New Zealand captain across all formats, replacing Sophie Devine, who stepped away from ODIs after last year’s World Cup and handed over the T20 job soon after. Kerr’s first task arrives almost immediately: three T20Is and three ODIs at home to Zimbabwe, starting in Hamilton on 25 February. The squad will be confirmed on 20 February.
“The captaincy doesn’t change who I am, I am still the same person and will give everything I can to lead this group and hopefully bring our country success,” Kerr said in a statement. “One of my favourite quotes is: ‘He aha te mea nui o te ao? He Tāngata, He Tāngata, He Tāngata. We are people first. As a group we look out for each other, we celebrate each other’s success and we represent our people.
“Encouraging others and building belief around us so we can all be the best we can be both as people and as cricketers.”
Still only 25, Kerr already owns a hefty record: 84 ODIs, 2304 runs at 41.14 and 106 wickets at 30.61; plus 88 T20Is for 1453 runs (strike rate 109.74) and 95 wickets at a tidy 6.09 runs an over. The leg-spinning all-rounder also led Wellington Blaze to back-to-back Super Smash titles in 2023-24 and 2024-25, experience that caught the national selectors’ eye.
Head coach Ben Sawyer called her appointment a natural progression. “Melie has been an integral member of the squad for many years and deeply understands what it means to be a White Fern and represent New Zealand,” he said. “She’s an outstanding leader not only through her performances on the field, but also in the respect she has from the playing group off it.
“She has a sound understanding of the game and has strong leadership experience from the games she has captained the White Ferns [in] and her time leading the Wellington Blaze over the past three years.
“We believe leading the White Ferns can take Melie’s game to the next level and know she’s ready to step up and lead this team forward. Melie leading this team at this stage of her career ensures we have continuity and stability through the next cycle to 2029.”
Devine’s departure created a sizeable gap in experience, yet Kerr’s elevation offers continuity: she has been vice-captain in recent tours, skippered on the field when Devine rested and, crucially, is locked into the side as an automatic pick with bat and ball.
Zimbabwe, still developing in women’s cricket, should allow the new leadership group a relatively gentle bedding-in period. Tougher assignments await – a tour to India is pencilled in for late 2026 – but for now the story is about a 25-year-old who debuted at sixteen taking on the biggest job in New Zealand women’s cricket.
