Sophie Devine to Miss WPL 2025 for Well-Being
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Synopsis
Sophie Devine, New Zealand captain, will miss WPL 2025 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru to prioritize her well-being. She will also sit out the ongoing domestic season and return home, supported by NZC and Cricket Wellington.
Key Takeaways
- Sophie Devine prioritizes her well-being.
- Missing WPL 2025 and ongoing domestic season.
- Decision supported by NZC and Cricket Wellington.
- Devine's recent performance in Super Smash.
- RCB's season starts on February 15.
Auckland, Jan 25 (NationPress) New Zealand's captain and all-rounder Sophie Devine will not participate in the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2025, representing Royal Challengers Bengaluru, as she chooses to prioritize her well-being based on professional guidance. Additionally, she will withdraw from the ongoing domestic season and head back home.
A statement from New Zealand Cricket (NZC) indicated that the decision regarding Devine's playing future will be revealed in the near future, and that both NZC and Cricket Wellington support her choice to take a break. The reigning WPL champions have yet to announce a replacement.
“Player well-being is paramount to us - it takes precedence over everything else. Sophie's received excellent backing from the New Zealand Cricket Players Association and our high-performance unit staff, and everyone concurs this is the best course of action,” stated Liz Green, Head of Women's High Performance Development at NZC.
“The most vital aspect for NZC is that Sophie has a proper break, receives excellent support and care, and is fit and well before returning to professional cricket,” she added.
Devine has been participating in the ongoing Super Smash for Wellington, accumulating 38 runs and claiming eight wickets in five matches. Her latest appearance was on Friday against Canterbury in Christchurch, where she delivered a match-winning performance with figures of 5 for 13.
Since securing the T20 World Cup with New Zealand in October 2024, Devine has played in the ODI series against India, competed in the WBBL for the Perth Scorchers, and participated in the ODI series against Australia in late December.
Devine, a crucial player in RCB's title-winning campaign in 2024, was retained ahead of the 2025 auction. In the previous season, she scored 136 runs and took six wickets across ten matches. RCB will kick off their 2025 season on February 15 against Gujarat Giants at the newly constructed BCA Stadium in Vadodara.
