Sophie Devine, a legend in New Zealand women’s cricket, is renowned for her powerful T20 game and leadership skills. She has been a key figure for the White Ferns, captaining them in both ODIs and T20Is. However, in a recent press release, New Zealand Cricket announced that Devine will step down as T20I captain after the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup.
Sophie Devine first took on the T20I captaincy in the 2014-15 season, becoming the permanent skipper in 2020. During her tenure, she led the White Ferns in 56 T20I matches, achieving 25 wins, 28 losses, and one tie. Reflecting on her decision, Sophie Devine stated, “I’m very proud to have had the privilege to captain the White Ferns in both formats. With captaincy comes an additional workload that, while I’ve enjoyed, can be challenging. Stepping away from T20 captaincy will allow me to focus more on my playing role and mentoring future leaders.”
Despite stepping down from the T20I role, Sophie Devine will continue to captain the team in ODIs. “I’m not ready to give up ODI captaincy just yet. But I won’t be around forever, so stepping away from captaining one format at a time gives the next leaders time to find their feet,” she added.
Sophie Devine, who debuted for New Zealand in 2006, has played 147 ODIs and 135 T20Is, amassing over 3,000 runs and taking more than 100 wickets in both formats. Her experience and all-round abilities make her an invaluable asset to the White Ferns.
