The much-awaited ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 kickstarted with a bang on Tuesday, September 30 with the Harmanpreet Kaur-led India Women
coming out victorious against Sri Lanka Women by 59 runs via DLS method at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. Coming into the tournament after a closely fought three-match ODI series against Australia Women, the Women in Blue began their CWC 2025 on a winning note.But as the tournament progresses further, the Australia Women, who are the defending champions, will take on New Zealand Women on Wednesday, October 1 at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore. While the team from Down Under will be led by Alyssa Healy, veteran all-rounder Sophie Devine will lead charge of New Zealand Women.
I haven’t retired: Sophie Devine's quirky response to reporter’s retirement quip
On the eve
of the second game of the CWC 2025, the Kiwi skipper was questioned about her retirement. The veteran cricketer didn’t shy to respond as she cheekily replied, "I haven't retired. I haven't retired. Are you saying I need to retire? Is that what you're saying? That's okay. It's okay.” It is to be noted that Sophie Devine announced her decision to retire from ODIs after the Women’s CWC 2025. However, she continues to remain active in T20Is.
Sophie Devine, who led the side to T20 World Cup win last year, has her eyes set to on the title. Speaking on the eve of the match, the White Ferns skipper asserted that the team wants to start with “a real hiss and a roar”. "Absolutely, we want to start this tournament with a real hiss and a roar and make sure that we come out really strong and aggressive. And the fact that it's Australia that we play first, I think for us, what we keep going back to is making sure that we play our style of cricket. It doesn't matter who we're playing against. Absolutely, everyone wants to win their first game, but there's still a lot of cricket," she said.
New Zealand Women’s squad for ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025:
Sophie Devine (c), Suzie Bates, Eden Carson, Flora Devonshire, Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Bree Illing, Polly Inglis, Bella James, Melie Kerr, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Georgia Plimmer, Lea Tahuhu
