Women’s Premier League 2025 not playing (opts out), Captain Sophie Devine prioritises her welfare and the ongoing domestic season in New Zealand. Her decision is backed by NZC and RCB to highlight the need for player welfare Devine’s cricket future will be decided by NZC.
New Delhi: New Zealand captain and allrounder Sophie Devine has chosen to “prioritize her well-being” after consulting with professionals, which means she will not participate in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025. She will return home and will also miss the remainder of the current domestic season. The New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has stated that an announcement regarding Devine’s future in the sport will be made in due time.
The article noted that the RCB, Cricket Wellington, and NZC supported her choice to take a break. The RCB has not yet named a replacement. Devine has accumulated 38 runs and taken eight wickets in five matches while representing Wellington in the current Super Smash tournament. Her latest achievement was a remarkable 5 for 13 in the win against Canterbury in Christchurch on Friday.
“Player well-being is paramount to us – it takes precedence over everything else. 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. Liz Green, NZC’s head of women’s high performance development,” said Liz Green, NZC’s head of women’s high performance development
Devine has taken part in ODI matches versus India, played for the Perth Scorchers in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL), and competed in the ODI series against Australia in late December, following New Zealand’s victory in the T20 World Cup in October 2024. She was kept on the roster prior to the 2025 auction, having contributed to RCB’s championship success in 2024. During the 2024 season, she achieved six wickets and accumulated 136 runs across 10 matches.
The 2025 season will kick off on February 15, with RCB facing the Gujarat Giants at the newly built BCA stadium in Vadodara.
Recently, Charlie Dean, an all-rounder known for her spin bowling from England, was brought into the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) team to fill the spot of the injured Sophie Molineux for the 2025 Women’s Premier League. Molineux, an Australian left-arm spinner, is sidelined due to a knee injury that will necessitate surgery, preventing her from participating in the home Ashes series against England as well. Dean has yet to make her debut in the WPL, but she has achieved notable success in her international career, taking 46 wickets at an impressive average of 18.19 in 36 T20 Internationals for England.
