the Women's Premier League (WPL) It is just around the corner with the opening match scheduled between Gujarat Titans (GT) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) On February 14th. However, before RCB begins their new campaign as defending champions, quality players are at all levels Sophie Devine She decided to take a break from cricket.
A huge blow to RCB's hopes of defending the title
Devine was an important part of the RCB side during the 2024 season as she scored 136 runs and took 6 wickets in 10 matches for the franchise, thus playing an important role in RCB's title winning season. She is the second RCB player to withdraw from the tournament even before the campaign began. Earlier, an Australian player Sophie MolyneuxHis WPL season was ended due to an ongoing injury.
But Devin's situation is different. She has decided to miss WPL 2025 and has taken a break from cricket after seeking professional advice. the New Zealand Cricket Board She fully supported her decision, revealing that the player's health is of utmost importance to them.
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“Player welfare is paramount to us – it takes priority over everything else, and Sophie's has had excellent support from the New Zealand Cricketers' Association and from our high-performing unit staff, and everyone agrees this is the best option available. “The most important thing “For NZC it is for Sophie to have a good break, receive good support and care, and be fit and well before returning to professional cricket.” Liz Green, New Zealand's head of high performance development, said in a statement.
Devine will miss the rest of the 2024-25 Super Smash season as she represents Wellington and will also miss the entire domestic cricket season alongside the WPL. The 35-year-old's future remains uncertain as a decision on her career will be made in due course. New Zealand Cricket also issued a press release announcing the termination of her employment for the remainder of the cricket season. In addition, it was also revealed that NZC, Cricket Wellington and RCB have offered their support to Devine regarding her decision.
Read also: ICC unveils women's ODI squad for 2024 with Smriti Mandhana
This article was first published in WomenCricket.comA Cricket times a company.
