Wicketkeeper batter Bernadine Bezuidenhout returned to the WHITE FERNS squad for the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup in South Africa after a two-year absence, establishing herself as the side’s first-choice wicketkeeper and cementing her spot in the top of the T20 batting order.
Born and raised in Kimberley, Northern Cape, South Africa, Bernie made her international debut for South Africa in a T20 against England in 2014 and played four ODIs and seven T20s, before deciding to make the move to New Zealand in 2015.
She qualified to play for the WHITE FERNS in 2018 following a three-year international stand-down period and made her debut for New Zealand in a T20I against Ireland in 2018. She was offered a New Zealand central contract later that year and was selected in the WHITE FERNS squad for the 2018 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in West Indies.
Health issues forced Bernadine to take a two-year break from cricket at the end of the 2019-2020 season, but she burst back on to the scene in her return season, scoring her second List-A century against Otago in the opening weekend of the 2022-2023 Hallyburton Johnstone Shield, propelling her towards her eventual international return.
Her Christian faith has been important through her tough times. During her time away from cricket, Bernadine started two foundations – the Epic Sports Project in Christchurch, which provides young people with an opportunity to participate in a variety of sports and recreation activities all free of charge, and the Epic Foundation in South Africa, which provides youth with an opportunity to participate in sports within local communities.
