New Zealand Captain Sophie Devine Opts Out of Sri Lanka Series to Focus on Health

Sophie Devine, the captain of New Zealand, has made the decision to skip the forthcoming ODI and T20I series against Sri Lanka in order to put her health first. The all-rounder, 35, had already retreated halfway through the Women's Super Smash. Sophie Devine, the captain of the New Zealand women's cricket team, will not play in the white-ball series against Sri Lanka at home in March. The senior all-rounder's decision has been acknowledged by New Zealand Cricket (NZC), and Devine will continue to put her mental health first.

Since September of last year, Devine has been playing nonstop, starting with the Australia matches and continuing through the Women's T20 World Cup, India series, Women's Big Bash League, Australia ODIs, and Super Smash. Devine withdrew from both the Women's Premier League, where she was scheduled to play for the reigning champion Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), and the Super Smash halfway through.

New Zealand Captain Sophie Devine Steps Away from Cricket:

Liz Green, the Head of Women's High Performance at NZC, announced on Monday, “Player well-being is our highest priority, and it’s important that Sophie feels fit and well before returning to professional cricket. We are fully supportive of Sophie’s decision not to take part in the upcoming series."

WHITE FERNS captain Sophie Devine will not take part in the series against Sri Lanka in March as she continues to prioritise her well-being. Read more ⬇️ #NZvSL #CricketNation https://t.co/AnKsRS77CG

— WHITE FERNS (@WHITE_FERNS) February 16, 2025

On March 4, the six white-ball matches that will consist of three ODIs and an equal number of T20Is will begin in Napier. Both New Zealand and Sri Lanka will have their star players, Amelia Kerr and Chamari Athapaththu, representing their respective teams in the tournament, which concludes on March 15, when the series clashes with the WPL. Starting on March 21, the side will play Australia in a three-match Twenty20 International series.

These matches are New Zealand's first Twenty20 International match since their historic World Cup victory while captained by Devine. Although her absence would be a significant loss for New Zealand, the team is still determined to build momentum before a significant year in international cricket.

Watch this space for more cricket news.