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[Saba Sports News] Sophie Devine, the New Zealand cricket captain, will be absent from the early games of the ongoing Super Smash season for Wellington, taking a ‘wellbeing break’ after a demanding year. Liz Green, NZC’s head of women’s high performance, has confirmed Devine’s unavailability and a decision on her return is pending.
Green emphasized the importance of player wellbeing, stating, “2024 is shaping as another big year for the WHITE FERNS with England arriving later in the summer and the ICC T20 World Cup on the horizon. Sophie’s understandably disappointed but we’re adamant she needs this break to re-charge her batteries and be well-prepared for the upcoming challenges.”
The 2023-24 Super Smash tournament started on December 19, with Wellington’s first game against Otago scheduled for December 21. Each of the six teams will play ten matches in the league stage, with the eliminator on January 26 and the final on January 28.
Devine recently participated in home ODIs and T20Is against Pakistan, following her stint with Perth Scorchers in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL). In 2023, she played in various tournaments including the previous Super Smash season, the inaugural Women’s Premier League (WPL) in India, The Hundred, the WCPL, and the WBBL. Her 49 T20 appearances this year are the joint most with Hayley Matthews, and she is one of the top T20 run-scorers of 2023.
Looking forward, New Zealand will host a T20I series against England starting March 19. Devine is also expected to participate in the second edition of the WPL in India before this series.