Melie Kerr has been appointed captain of the New Zealand women’s cricket team, taking over leadership duties across all formats from Sophie Devine.

The 25-year-old will lead the White Ferns for the first time in a home ODI and T20I series against Zimbabwe, which begins on 25 February.

“Growing up it was my childhood dream to represent New Zealand and to now have the opportunity to captain my country is a massive privilege,” the 25-year-old said.

“I am following an exceptional group of leaders who have captained the White Ferns before me, so I don’t take the responsibility lightly.”

“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.”

Sophie Devine, who had been captain since 2020 and led New Zealand to T20 World Cup success against South Africa in 2024, stepped away from the ODI side after the 2025 World Cup and also relinquished the T20I captaincy.

Kerr succeeds Devine after a period of transition for the team and will carry the leadership role into the upcoming bilateral fixtures.

Having made her international debut as a teenager, Kerr has become one of New Zealand’s most experienced all-rounders.

• Debut: 16 years old (youngest to play for New Zealand at the time)
• Appearances: 172 internationals
• Runs: 3,757 across both formats
• Wickets: 201 across both formats

She was named player of the tournament in New Zealand’s victorious T20 World Cup campaign in the United Arab Emirates, finishing with 134 runs and 15 wickets.

“Melie is an outstanding leader not only through her performances on the field, but also in the respect she has from the playing group off it,” said New Zealand head coach Ben Sawyer.

“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.”

Kerr’s first assignment as captain will set the tone for her tenure. The home series against Zimbabwe offers an immediate opportunity to establish her leadership style and prepare the squad for future international competitions.

New Zealand is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island and the South Island —and around 600 smaller islands, covering a total area of 268,021 square kilometres.

South Africa is a country on the southernmost tip of the African continent, marked by several distinct ecosystems. Inland safari destination Kruger National Park is populated by big game. The Western Cape offers beaches, lush winelands around Stellenbosch and Paarl, craggy cliffs at the Cape of Good Hope, forest and lagoons along the Garden Route, and the city of Cape Town, beneath flat-topped Table Mountain.

The United Arab Emirates, sometimes simply called the Emirates, is a sovereign state in Western Asia located at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It borders Oman and Saudi Arabia, and has maritime borders in the Persian Gulf with Qatar and Iran.

Zimbabwe is a landlocked country in southern Africa known for its dramatic landscape and diverse wildlife, much of it within parks, reserves and safari areas. On the Zambezi River, Victoria Falls make a thundering 108m drop into narrow Batoka Gorge, where there’s white-water rafting and bungee-jumping. Downstream are Matusadona and Mana Pools national parks, home to hippos, rhinos and birdlife.