NZ Captain Sophie Devine To Skip Sri Lanka Series To Prioritize Well-Being

New Zealand women’s cricket captain Sophie Devine will miss the upcoming home series against Sri Lanka in March as she continues to focus on her well-being, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) announced on Monday.

The decision follows Devine’s withdrawal from the Super Smash and the 2025 Women’s Premier League (WPL) after receiving professional advice.

NZC Supports Devine’s Decision

NZC’s Head of Women’s High Performance, Liz Green, emphasized the importance of player welfare.

“We are fully supportive of Sophie’s decision to not take part in the upcoming series,” Green stated. “Player well-being is our highest priority, and it’s important Sophie feels fit and well before returning to professional cricket.”

White Ferns vs Sri Lanka: Series Details

New Zealand will host Sri Lanka for a three-match ODI series and two T20Is, starting March 4.

Sophie Devine’s Recent Performance

The star all-rounder has been a key figure in New Zealand’s success:

• ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Winner (October 2024): Played a crucial role in New Zealand’s historic victory.
• ODI Career Milestone: Just 10 runs shy of reaching 4,000 ODI runs, averaging 31.66 with the bat.
• Recent Form: Played in ODI series vs India & Australia and featured in the WBBL for Perth Scorchers post-T20 World Cup.
• WPL 2024: Part of RCB’s title-winning campaign, scoring 136 runs and taking 6 wickets in 10 matches.
• WPL 2025 Update: Retained by RCB, but after withdrawing from the season, the team signed Heather Graham as her replacement.

With Devine absent, New Zealand will look to other senior players to step up, but player well-being remains the top priority for the team and management.

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