Sat Jan 25 13:20:00 UTC 2025: ## RCB to Miss Star All-Rounder Sophie Devine in Upcoming WPL Season
**Bengaluru, India** – Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will be without star all-rounder Sophie Devine for the upcoming Women’s Premier League (WPL) season. Devine, a retained player for RCB, has announced a break from domestic cricket following professional advice, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) confirmed.
The decision, which also rules Devine out of New Zealand’s Super Smash, comes after a stellar performance where she recently took a five-wicket haul for Wellington. While NZC hasn’t disclosed the specific reasons behind the break, they emphasized player well-being as the top priority.
“Player well-being is paramount to us – it takes precedence over everything else,” stated Liz Green, Head of Women’s High Performance Development at NZC. She added that Devine has received excellent support from the New Zealand Cricket Players Association and NZC’s high-performance unit. The focus, Green stressed, is on ensuring Devine has a proper rest and returns to professional cricket fit and healthy.
Devine, 35, is a veteran of nearly 300 international matches. Her absence will be a significant blow to RCB, considering her impressive WPL record, which includes a tournament-high score of 99 runs in 18 appearances for the team. NZC will announce a decision regarding Devine’s future playing plans at a later date.
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