Sophie Devine Steps Down As New Zealand T20 Captain To Focus On Playing

New Zealand's cricket star Sophie Devine will step down as captain of the national T20 team after the World Cup in October. The 34-year-old aims to focus on her playing role and nurture future leaders. She will still lead the ODI team and continue playing in both formats.

New Zealand's star all-rounder Sophie Devine has announced she will step down as captain of the national T20 team following the World Cup in October, citing her desire to focus more on her playing role and to nurture emerging leaders.

Despite her resignation from the T20 captaincy, the 34-year-old will continue to lead New Zealand's ODI team. A stalwart in New Zealand cricket since her debut in 2006, Devine has accumulated 3,268 runs in 135 T20Is and successfully led the team in 56 matches since taking over in 2020 from Amy Satterthwaite.

Currently recovering from a foot injury, Devine highlighted the additional workload of captaincy and expressed pride in her tenure. New Zealand Cricket has yet to name her successor, but head coach Ben Sawyer lauded Devine as the ''epitome of a fearless leader.'' The team is set to announce their 15-member squad for the women's T20 World Cup on September 10, with matches scheduled against Australia as preparation.

(With inputs from agencies.)