New Zealand skipper to relinquish captaincy at conclusion of T20 World Cup
A change coming at the top for New Zealand, with experienced captain Sophie Devine to stand down as skipper after the ninth edition of the T20 World Cup.
New Zealand have announced veteran skipper Sophie Devine will step down as T20I captain at the conclusion of this year's ICC Women's T20 World Cup.
Devine has been at the helm of New Zealand's white-ball sides since taking over from Amy Satterthwaite in 2020, but the 34-year-old will hand over the reins of the T20I team following October's T20 World Cup.
The experienced all-rounder said the decision to relinquish the T20I captaincy was to help her balance her workload in the coming years.
“I’m very proud to have had the privilege to captain the White Ferns in both formats,” Devine said.
“With captaincy comes an additional workload that, while I’ve enjoyed taking on, can also be challenging at times.
“Stepping away from the T20 captaincy will take a bit off my plate so I can focus more of my energy on my playing role and nurturing the future leaders.”
Devine will still captain New Zealand in 50-over cricket and plans to be a part of next year's ICC Women's Cricket World Cup campaign in India.
“I’m not ready to give up ODI captaincy just yet,” she said.
“But I won’t be around forever, so I think stepping away from captaining one format at a time gives the next leaders time to find their feet.”
New Zealand coach Ben Sawyer praised Devine for the impact she has made on her teammates, both on and off the field.
“Soph is the epitome of a fearless leader and we’re really grateful for the leadership she brings to this group on and off the field,” said Sawyer.
“She’s one of the most experienced White Ferns ever and her leadership and knowledge of the game has been so valuable as we have introduced several young players into the team over the past two years.
“I know the decision wasn’t easy for Soph, but I fully support it and know that she’s still going to be a prominent leader in the group.”
New Zealand will announce their 15-player squad for the Women's T20 World Cup on September 10 and a decision on Devine's long-term replacement as T20I captain will be made in due course.