In a heartfelt farewell to the One-Day International format, New Zealand’s seasoned skipper Sophie Devine signed off her ODI career after the White Ferns’ eight-wicket defeat to England, led by Nat Sciver-Brunt, in their final group game of the 13th ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 at Visakhapatnam.
For Devine, who turned 36 earlier this year, the match marked the closing of an era defined by resilience, leadership, and boundless commitment to New Zealand cricket. Though New Zealand ended the tournament sixth on the points table with four points from seven games, including one win, four defeats, and two washouts, the day belonged to Devine, who finished both the campaign and her ODI journey with quiet pride and reflective grace.
Speaking after the game, Devine’s composure belied the emotion beneath. “I’m probably pleasantly okay at the moment; it was a really tough decision to step away from the game I love,” she said, pausing with the calm assurance that defined her 19-year international career. “One day doesn’t define a career. I’m just so proud and grateful for everything this group has given me.” She acknowledged that while results didn’t lean their way, the journey itself was what she would treasure most.
The Visakhapatnam crowd witnessed a moment of understated class as Devine, ever modest, initially declined a guard of honour before eventually accepting one post-match. “I thought it would be a bit weird if they gave me a guard and then I walked out in a T20 in the next game,” she laughed. “But England trapped me there at the end, and it was really nice to share that with both sides.” The gentle humour and humility were quintessential Devine, never one to seek the spotlight, yet always radiating respect and warmth.
Keen-eyed observers would have noticed the greenstone (Pounamu) pendant around Devine’s neck, a symbol deeply rooted in New Zealand culture. “It was a gift from the team when I played my 300th game earlier in the tournament,” she explained. “It’s a very special piece of jewellery unique to New Zealand, and I thought it was a great chance to wear it for the toss and anthem, to share a bit of Aotearoa with the world.”
The game’s final overs offered a poetic close: the two pillars of New Zealand cricket, Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates, bowling in tandem. “Probably fitting that I finished with the ball in hand alongside Batesy,” Devine said with a grin. “Jonesy could’ve padded one back and given me another wicket! But yes, cricket doesn’t owe you anything. To sign off like that, even after getting hit for four, it’s just reality keeping me grounded.” She ended with match figures of 4.2–0–20–1, after contributing 23 runs from 35 balls with the bat.
New Zealand’s campaign in the 13th ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 was one of unfulfilled potential. After heavy defeats to Australia (by 89 runs) and South Africa (by six wickets), the White Ferns bounced back with a commanding 100-run win over Bangladesh in Guwahati on October 10. Two successive washouts, against Sri Lanka in Colombo (October 14) and Pakistan (October 18), hurt their rhythm before consecutive losses to India (by 53 runs at Navi Mumbai), and finally, England confirmed their exit.
Devine, however, stood tall amid the inconsistency. With 289 runs at a strike rate of 85.25 and an average of 57.80, including a century and two fifties, she finished as both New Zealand’s leading scorer and the fifth-highest run-getter of the tournament. She also picked up 4 wickets with the ball in the tournament. Her closing chapter ended not in glory, but in greatness earned over time.
In ODIs, Sophie Devine departs with a legacy that cements her among the White Ferns’ all-time greats, 4,279 runs at 32.66 (SR 85.01) with nine centuries and 18 fifties in 159 matches, alongside 111 wickets at 36.27. Her World Cup record, 958 runs at 36.84 with seven fifty-plus scores and 16 wickets, spanning five editions since her 2009 debut at North Sydney, stands as testimony to her long-standing excellence.
Reflecting on the team’s struggles in Indian conditions, Devine gently dismissed the notion that her side was underprepared. “It’s hard to adapt when it’s raining half the time,” she said. “We had 10 players training in Chennai before the tournament, you can’t question our preparation. Maybe we didn’t execute as well as we should have, but I don’t agree we weren’t ready.”
While her ODI chapter closes, Devine’s journey in T20 cricket continues. “I’m not hanging up my boots entirely, still some T20 cricket left in me,” she shared, smiling. Asked about her fondest career memory, she reflected simply, “Last year’s T20 World Cup probably sits pretty high for me.”
Her farewell in Visakhapatnam wasn’t painted in victory but in authenticity, an embodiment of her career. Sophie Devine walked off the field not just as a record-holder or as a captain, but as a symbol of heart, leadership, and humility, a true White Ferns legend whose presence will forever echo in New Zealand’s cricketing history.
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