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Ben Sawyer departs as New Zealand women's head coach
Ben Sawyer has departed as head coach of the New Zealand Women after being in the role for four years. The development comes amid New Zealand Cricket’s (NZC) decision not to renew his contract, which was supposed to run until December 2026. Sawyer was brought to the helm in June 2022, and he brought immediate success, guiding the side to a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games (2022). His most eye-catching accomplishment came when he led New Zealand to their first Women's T20 World Cup title in 2024.
“Being the White Ferns coach has been a huge honour and I’m really grateful to have had the opportunity to lead this group,” Sawyer said in a statement.
“This team means a lot to me and I’m really proud of what we’ve been able to achieve in the past four years.”
“Although I’m disappointed to be leaving, I want to wish the team and NZC [New Zealand Cricket] all the best,” Sawyer said.
However, New Zealand struggled badly while defending their title at the Women’s T20I World Cup 2026 in June, existing the tournament during the group stage. Meanwhile, NZC’s Chief High Performance Cricket Officer Daryl Gibson lauded Sawyer’s contribution to the team’s success.
"Ben’s overseen a period of considerable change and progression for the White Ferns and we’re deeply appreciative of the commitment, professionalism and time he invested in the women’s game,” Gibson said.
“It was a difficult decision which was not made lightly, but it reflects our view that the next stage of the White Ferns journey requires a different leadership approach to support the future direction of the programme.”
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