Sophie Devine set to step down from New Zealand's T20I captaincy after World Cup

WELLINGTON: Sophie Devine will step down from New Zealand's T20I captaincy after the conclusion of the Women's T20 World Cup in the UAE. Devine, who has captained the White Ferns in 56 T20Is, will continue to be a part of their set-up as a player.

She feels it is the right time to step down from the role to reduce her additional workload and nurture future leaders. "I'm very proud to have had the privilege to captain the White Ferns in both formats. With captaincy comes an additional workload that, while I've enjoyed taking on, can also be challenging at times," Devine said as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.

"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," she added.

Despite stepping down from the T20I captaincy role, the 34-year-old confirmed she is not ready to give up on New Zealand's ODI captaincy yet. Devine will be keen to hold the coveted Women's ODI World Cup trophy next year in India. "I'm not ready to give up ODI captaincy just yet. 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," she added.

New Zealand head coach Ben Swayer hailed Devine for the remarkable leadership skills that she has displayed in the T20I format. "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. 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," Swayer said.

"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," he added. Devine is currently nursing a foot injury ahead of New Zealand's three-match T20I series against Australia, beginning on September 19 in Queensland. The series will help both sides bolster their preparations for the marquee event in October. New Zealand are yet to name the successor of Devine.