Perth Scorchers WBBL and New Zealand captain Sophie Devine will take an immediate break from the game with no clear timeline for when the star will return.
After receiving “professional advice” the decision was made for Devine to withdraw from all domestic commitments with Wellington as well as the upcoming Women’s Premier League tournament for Royal Challengers Bangalore.
The 35-year-old, who lives between New Zealand and Perth, will return home with no timeline set on when she will return as she prioritises her well-being.
“Player well-being is paramount to us – it takes precedence over everything else,” said NZC’s head of women’s high-performance development Liz Green.
“Sophie’s had excellent support from the New Zealand Cricket Players Association and from our own high-performance unit staff, and everyone agrees this is the best option available.
“The most important thing for NZC is that Sophie has a decent break, receives good support and care, and is fit and well before returning to professional cricket.”
RCB, New Zealand Cricket and Cricket Wellington are all supportive of her decision.
It’s been a busy 6 months for Devine who led the White Ferns to their drought-breaking triumph Twenty20 World Cup triumph in October and promptly captained New Zealand in ODIs against India and the Perth Scorchers for a fifth straight WBBL season.
Devine is contracted to the Perth Scorchers next season while New Zealand will be crossing their fingers she can return in time for August’s ODI World Cup.
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