Amy Satterthwaite, the New Zealand Women captain, is expecting her first child with wife and team-mate Lea Tahuhu in January 2020 and has announced a break from cricket.

While Satterthwaite gave no indication of when she would return, she said she hoped to make her way back into the squad in time for the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2021, which will be hosted by New Zealand. She will thus miss the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2020 in Australia.

The skipper as well as New Zealand Cricket indicated that she would continue to be involved with the side in a mentoring capacity in the interim.

“Lea and I are overjoyed to share the news that I’m expecting our first child early in the new year," Satterthwaite said in a statement on Tuesday, 20 August. “It is a special time in our lives and we can’t wait for this new chapter.

Lea and I are thrilled to share that I am expecting our first child early in the new year. Words cannot describe how excited we are about this new chapter 🥰 #babysatterhuhu #jan2020 pic.twitter.com/UwRXJ3YMJx — Amy Satterthwaite (@AmySatterthwait) August 20, 2019

“I am very lucky to have great support from NZC with regard to taking a break from the game to have a family. I feel I still have a lot to give to the game and look forward to working my way back with an eye on the 2021 ICC Women’s World Cup held in New Zealand.

“I look forward to being involved with the White Ferns squad where possible and offering support and knowledge in a mentoring capacity,” she added.

Satterthwaite, 32, who took over captaincy of the side last year ahead of the ICC Women's World T20 2018, has played 119 ODIs and 99 T20Is for the White Ferns so far. She is a rare cricketer to have struck four back-to-back ODI hundreds. Tahuhu, 28, is one of the fastest bowlers in the women's game. She has 114 wickets from 116 internationals.

WT20 lookahead – Amy Satterthwaite

Satterthwaite will be the first player to benefit from New Zealand Cricket's new pregnancy leave policy, as decided in the Women's Master Agreement made public last week. She will retain her contract for 2019-20.

“She’ll be paid her full retainer throughout and, although possibly fulfilling some off-field contractual obligations, will not be required to train or play,” David White, the NZC chief executive, said.