The Ladies’s Premier League (WPL) is simply across the nook with the opening match scheduled between Gujarat Titans (GT) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on February 14. Nevertheless, proper earlier than RCB begins their new marketing campaign as defending champions, ace all-rounder Sophie Devine has determined to take a break from cricket.
A serious blow to RCB’s hopes of defending the title
Devine was an essential a part of the RCB squad throughout the 2024 season during which she scored 136 runs and took 6 wickets in 10 matches for the franchise, thus enjoying an essential position in RCB’s title-winning season. She is the second RCB participant to tug out of the event even earlier than the marketing campaign kicks off. Earlier, Australian participant Sophie Molineux’s WPL season got here to an finish resulting from a sustained damage.
Devine’s scenario, nonetheless, is completely different. She has determined to overlook WPL 2025 and brought a break from cricket after looking for skilled recommendation. The New Zealand Cricket Board has absolutely backed her choice, revealing {that a} participant’s well being is of the utmost significance to them.
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“Participant well-being is paramount to us – it takes priority over every part else, Sophie’s had glorious help from the New Zealand Cricket Gamers Affiliation and from our personal high-performance unit workers, and everybody agrees that is the most suitable choice obtainable. Crucial factor for NZC is that Sophie has an honest break, receives good help and care, and is match and effectively earlier than returning to skilled cricket,” Liz Inexperienced, head of New Zealand’s high-performance improvement stated in a press release.
Devine will miss the rest of her Tremendous Smash 2024-25 season the place she was representing Wellington and also will miss the whole thing of the home cricket season together with the WPL. The 35-year-old’s future stays unsure as a choice about her profession will likely be taken in the end. New Zealand Cricket has additionally issued a press launch saying her termination from the rest of the cricketing season. Moreover, it was additionally revealed that NZC, Cricket Wellington and RCB have prolonged their help to Devine relating to her choice.
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This text was first revealed at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Occasions firm.