Sophie Devine set to step down as New Zealand T20I captain after Women's T20 World Cup

Sophie Devine, the current skipper of the New Zealand T20I women's cricket team, has announced that she will step down from the captaincy after the upcoming T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The 34-year-old all-rounder has led the White Ferns in 56 T20Is, achieving 25 wins, 28 losses, and one tied match during her tenure. Devine initially took charge of the team for a few games in 2014-15 and officially assumed full captaincy from Amy Satterthwaite in 2020.

While Devine will be relinquishing her T20I captaincy, she confirmed that she will continue to lead the national team in ODIs, with a focus on the 50-over World Cup set to take place in India next year. "I'm not ready to give up ODI captaincy just yet. But I won't be around forever, so I think stepping away from captaining one format at a time gives the next leaders time to find their feet," Devine said.

Balancing leadership and future development

Devine, who also represents the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Women's Premier League (WPL), stated that the decision to step down from T20I captaincy was motivated by the desire to manage her workload and nurture future leaders within the team. "I wanted to take some additional workload off my shoulders and also help in the development of future leaders," Devine explained. The decision comes as she aims to ensure that the next generation of captains can transition smoothly into their roles.

In addition to her leadership responsibilities, Devine is recovering from a foot injury sustained during her recent stint with Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred Women’s competition. In six games, she scored 117 runs, with a top score of 37, though she did not claim any wickets in her 13 overs.

"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 taking on, can also be challenging at times,” Devine said in a statement.

 

 

 

 

 

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New Zealand's World Cup campaign and Devine's future plans

New Zealand's T20 World Cup campaign will begin on Friday, October 4, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Despite stepping down from T20I leadership, Devine remains committed to her role as an ODI captain, with the upcoming 50-over World Cup in 2025 marking a key goal in her career.

"Stepping away from the T20 captaincy will take a bit off my plate so I can focus more of my energy on my playing role and nurturing the future leaders,” she said.

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As Devine continues her rehabilitation, she remains an influential figure in women's cricket and is determined to make an impact during her remaining time as a leader for the White Ferns.