Sophie Devine in action© AFP
New Zealand women captain Sophie Devine will not take part in the series against Sri Lanka in March as she continues to prioritise her well-being, the country’s cricket board said on Monday. The news follows Devine’s decision last month to withdraw from the Super Smash and the 2025 Women’s Premier League after receiving professional advice. Liz Green, NZC’s Head of Women’s High Performance, reiterated the importance of player well-being. “We are fully supportive of Sophie’s decision to not take part in the upcoming series,” said Green.
“Player well-being is our highest priority and it’s important Sophie feels fit and well before returning to professional cricket,” Green said.
The White Ferns’ series with Sri Lanka starts on March 4, featuring three One-Day Internationals and two T20Is.
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.
Since winning the T20 World Cup with New Zealand in October 2024, Devine has been part of the ODIs against India, played in the WBBL for Perth Scorchers, and also played the ODI series against Australia in late December.
Devine, part of RCB’s title-winning campaign in 2024, was retained ahead of the 2025 auction. In the 2024 season, she scored 136 runs and took six wickets in ten matches.
After her withdrawal from WPL 2025, RCB picked Heather Graham as Devine’s replacements.
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