The New Zealand women’s national team is full of formidable members but it’s still missing a few special players in the last few events. These stars were Amelia Kerr, Lea Tahuhu, and Sophie Devine. Each of them missed several events including the Sri Lanka series but now they’re back in full swing for Australia on 21st March. 

The three stars�?reasons for missing the Sri Lanka series

Each of the three star players has different reasons for missing the T20I Sri Lanka series. Amelia Kerr opted out of the national team to focus on the Indian women’s league. There, she became the tournament’s highest wicket-taker with 18 wickets, playing a pivotal role in winning the title for Mumbai.  

Lea Tahuhu was ruled out of the subsequent series to recover from her grade-two hamstring tear sustained in November 2024. She was expected to recover in January 2025 but her recovery was extended, prompting her to also miss the Sri Lanka series this month. 

Sophie Devine took a well-being break in January 2025 and announced an extension in the middle of February. It was from professional advice to allow her to recover mentally. In her absence, she also missed out on the Indian women’s league as an all-rounder for Bangalore.

T20I schedule and venues

The White Ferns are playing in Australia in the upcoming T20I series. See them in action in the following events:

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Sophie Devine announced her extended break from cricket. The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) called upon Heather Graham to replace the 35-year-old New Zealand all-rounder in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025.

Devine’s national team, the White Ferns, has yet to decide on a replacement for the white ball series against Sri Lanka in March. The new squad lineup, including which player will captain the team in 2025, will be declared in the last week of February.

Reason for Sophie Devine’s absence

Liz Green, head of the women’s high performance in New Zealand Cricket, stated that they are fully supportive of her withdrawal. She further added ‘Well-being is our highest priority and it’s important Sophie feels fit and well before returning to professional cricket�? The New Zealand skipper has been away from the sport since January 2025 due to well-being issues. 

Sophie Devine’s teammates ruled out of the upcoming series

In other news, Sophie Devine is not the only person missing in RCB’s lineup for the upcoming WPL tournaments. Here are other key players missing due to injuries:

• Sophie Molineux

Sophie Molineux was ruled out of the WPL on 16th January 2025 because of a knee injury that required surgery. She has suffered through it between October to November in the Women’s Big Bash League, leading as the captain of Melbourne Renegades to the title. The Australian left-arm spinner finally pulled out for the WPL 2025 where Charlie Dean is called in her place. 

• Kate Cross

English bowler Kate Cross suffered from a back spasm, causing her to miss the Test match against South Africa in December 2024. She prioritises taking the time to rehab her injuries so she’s also ruled out for the first The Women’s Ashes and the WPL 2025 season. RCB has signed Heather Graham and Kim Garth to replace her and Sophie Devine this season. 

• Asha Shobhana

RCB star player Asha Shobhana was also ruled out of the WPL 2025 due to an injury sustained from a bowling warm-up. Radha Yadav was announced on X (formerly Twitter) to replace her in October 2024. Her injury persisted for months, forcing her to opt out of this season as well. 

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