Wellington [New Zealand], February 17 (ANI): New Zealand Cricket (NZC) on Monday confirmed that the national team skipper Sophie Devine will miss the upcoming white-ball series against Sri Lanka Women as she prioritizes her “well-being”.
The news comes after the White Ferns captain opted to withdraw from the Super Smash and 2025 Women’s Premier League last month, off the back of receiving professional advice.
“We are fully supportive of Sophie’s decision to not take part in the upcoming series. Player wellbeing is our highest priority and it’s important Sophie feels fit and well before returning to professional cricket,” Head of Women’s High Performance Liz Green said in a release from New Zealand Cricket as quoted by the ICC.
The White Ferns’ series with Sri Lanka starts on March 4, featuring three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and then two T20Is – all in New Zealand.
NZC will announce their squad for the white-ball series later this month.
As captain, Sophie Devine played a key role in helping the White Ferns win last year’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in the UAE in October.
The all-rounder is on the cusp of a milestone, having amassed 3990 runs in Women’s ODIs, averaging 31.66 with the bat in international 50-over cricket.
In the Super Smash for Wellington, Devine scored 38 runs and took eight wickets in five games. Her last appearance for Wellington was against Canterbury in Christchurch, where she delivered a match-winning performance with figures of 5/13.
Devine was also part of Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s title-winning campaign last year and was retained by the franchise for this year’s edition. In the 2024 season, she scored 136 runs and picked up six wickets in ten matches.
Since winning the Women’s T20 World Cup with New Zealand last October, Devine has been a part of the White Ferns in ODIs against India. She also featured in the Women’s Big Bash League for Perth Scorchers and played in the ODI series against Australia in December. (ANI)
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