Sophie Devine (Source: @ICC/x.com)
Cricket has long been measured by the speed of a delivery or the distance of a six or the intensity of bowling spells, metrics that often favor the men’s game. But New Zealand’s Sophie Devine has spent her career rewriting that narrative.
When the world cherished the unreal milestones of Sir Richard Hadlee, Brendon McCullum, and Kane Williamson, the women's Kiwi star sharpened her skills in the shadows, but the men’s cricket's success never eclipsed her unreal contribution for the White Ferns.
Sophie Devine’s international stats are now world-renowned, but it all started when a 12-year-old kid was juggling cricket and hockey to decide the right career path. Yes, it’s the same Sophie Devine who recently bid farewell to the ODIs. Let’s unveil the interesting story of the legend’s life.
Sophie Devine finds her way in cricket through a confusing beginning
In every nation, sports have always been the kind of fresh air that every kid loves to breathe in. As some of them chase it just as a hobby, and some others turn it into a passion and put their heart and soul to turn it into reality. For young Sophie Devine, it was both a love so deep that it led to a beautiful confusion.
Growing up, the Kiwi prodigy found herself torn between two passions, cricket and hockey, each pulling her heart in a different direction. Juggling both sports with all intensity and hard work, the Kiwi legend played both at the national level. Even as a kid, she desired to be ‘All Black’, but the future took her a different path.
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A two-year break from cricket pushes her back to the game
Even more than cricket, the Kiwi all-rounder was devoted to her love for Hockey, but destiny had already planned something big for her that changed her entire life. Missing out on the 2008 Beijing Games became a turning point, the moment that quietly redirected her path.
With courage and conviction, she stepped away from cricket for two years around 2011-2012, not knowing that this pause would set the stage for her greatest comeback. During that time, she continued participating in tournaments like the Rabo FIH Champions Trophy 2011 and the Champions Trophy 2012. But in the very next year, her fate changed forever.
When Sophie Devine returned after her two-year break, it didn’t take long for her to rediscover where her heart truly belonged, and she resumed her full-time cricket career in 2013. That was the beginning, as being the perfect gift of timing, Sophie Devine became one of the greatest players of New Zealand. What started as a confused beginning made the way for the country to gift a gem to the cricket world.
A legacy in the 50-over format that continues to shine through time
Among all the shiniest stars of the Women's cricket world, Sophie Devine will always stand in the front row as the Kiwi star rewrote history with excellence. Making debut for the White Ferns for the very first time in the T20Is in 2006, an era started. In the same year, she made her ODI debut against Australia Women. A bowler who batted at number 11 for some time became one of the best all-rounders of the New Zealand cricket.
With several iconic moments in her career, from ICC events to nail-biting bilateral series, the star all-rounder chased glory. In 159 Women’s ODI matches, she scored 4279 runs with nine centuries and 18 half-centuries, along with 111 wickets. T20I is no behind as she played 146 games and scored 3431 runs with 119 wickets.
Every athlete knows that knowing when to say goodbye is an art in itself, and Sophie Devine mastered it perfectly. Choosing the grandest stage of all, the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025, she bid farewell to her illustrious ODI career with grace and pride. There couldn’t have been a more fitting curtain call as her legacy will be forever iconic in New Zealand’s cricket history.
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