Sophie Devine takes break from cricket, set to miss WPL 2025

The third edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) is just around the corner and defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have suffered another blow, with star all-rounder Sophie Devine opting for an indefinite break from the game. This comes just days after all-rounder Sophie Molineux was ruled out of WPL 2025 due to injury.

Sophie Devine takes break from cricket, set to miss WPL 2025
Sophie Devine takes break from cricket, set to miss WPL 2025

Devine, who played a key role in RCB’s 2024 championship run, was retained before the 2025 auction. Although she didn’t contribute much with the bat last season, managing only 136 runs from 10 outings, she stepped up her bowling efforts, taking 6 wickets from 9 innings, with an economy rate of 7.90. Notably, in the inaugural edition, she amassed 266 runs from 8 outings at a strike rate of 172.72, registering the highest score of 99.

According to a statement from New Zealand Cricket (NZC), Devine made the decision “after receiving professional advice.” She has opted to sit out the remainder of the 2024-25 Super Smash, New Zealand’s domestic T20 competition, where she claimed a five-wicket haul just yesterday.

The NZC statement also mentioned that the decision regarding Devine’s playing future “will be announced in due course,” with RCB, Cricket Wellington, and NZC all backing her decision to take a break. RCB has not yet named a replacement.

“Player well-being is paramount to us—it takes precedence over everything else,” remarked Liz Green, Head of Women’s High-Performance Development.

She added, “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 proper break, receives the right support and care, and is fit and well before returning to professional cricket.”

In Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), from 139 outings, Devine has amassed 3,391 runs at a strike rate of 120.93, and from 120 innings, she has taken 117 wickets, with an economy rate of 6.58. With nearly 300 international games under her belt, Devine’s all-round skills will be a major loss for RCB in their title defense campaign, as will her leadership abilities—having led New Zealand to T20 World Cup glory in October 2024 against all odds.

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Royal Challengers Bangalore squad for WPL 2025:

Smriti Mandhana (C), Sabbineni Meghana, Richa Ghosh, Ellyse Perry, Georgia Wareham, Shreyanka Patil, Asha Sobhana, Renuka Singh, Charlie Dean, Ekta Bisht, Kate Cross, Kanika Ahuja, Danni Wyatt, Prema Rawat, Joshitha VJ, Raghvi Bist, Jagravi Pawar

RCB will open their 2025 WPL campaign on the opening day, February 14, against Gujarat Giants in Vadodara. After another game in Vadodara against Delhi Capitals, they will head home to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium for four games.

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