Ben Sawyer departs as New Zealand Women head coach after four years

New Zealand Cricket confirmed on September 18, 2026 that it would not renew the contract of White Ferns head coach Ben Sawyer, bringing his four-year tenure to a close. His deal had been scheduled to run through December 2026.

The decision came out of a thorough review of the women's high-performance structure. That process concluded that the programme requires a fresh leadership model going forward, including a newly created Performance Lead position. As part of the same restructure, the Manager role occupied by Rachel Pettit was also disestablished.

Sawyer first took charge of the White Ferns in June 2022. Over the following four years, the team claimed a bronze medal at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games and lifted the ICC Women's T20 World Cup title in 2024. Georgia Plimmer, Eden Carson and Izzy Gaze, each of whom received central contracts around the time Sawyer joined, were among the players who developed into World Cup winners during his watch.

"Being the White Ferns coach has been a huge honour and I'm really grateful to have had the opportunity to lead this group. 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 all the best," said Sawyer as quoted by Cricbuzz.

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What does NZC's decision signal about the programme's future direction?

New Zealand Cricket was clear that the restructure reflects a deliberate shift in how the White Ferns programme will be led, rather than any dissatisfaction with Sawyer's personal conduct or effort.

"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. 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," NZC’s Chief High Performance Cricket Officer Daryl Gibson said.

"We're hugely grateful for Ben and everything he's put into this team. His preparation was second to none, he poured his heart and soul into the role and left no stone unturned trying to make the team better. Ben played a huge part in a defining moment for women's cricket in New Zealand. He showed a belief in us that helped propel the team to World Cup victory after a difficult few months and that's a testament to his character and leadership," said NZ Women captain Amelia Kerr.

What are the confirmed next steps for the White Ferns coaching setup?

An interim head coach and team manager will be appointed to oversee the White Ferns for the T20I series in Australia scheduled for next month. The squad for that tour is expected to be named in early October 2026.

NZC confirmed that recruitment for the permanent head coach position and the new Performance Lead role will get under way shortly. No deadline for completing either appointment has been announced.