Sophie Devine Relieved to Retire Before Facing Smriti Mandhana Again
Sophie Devine shared her relief at no longer having to compete against Smriti Mandhana as she closes the chapter on her ODI career. After New Zealand faced a 53-run defeat due to the DLS method in the Women’s World Cup on Thursday at the DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai, Devine looks ahead to retirement following the tournament.
In the match, Devine acknowledged Mandhana’s remarkable performance, where she scored 109 runs off 95 balls, hitting ten fours and four sixes. Mandhana’s achievement also placed her alongside Tazmin Brits for the most ODI hundreds by a woman in a calendar year. She opened the innings with Pratika Rawal, who also made a century, contributing to a hefty opening partnership of 212 runs.
Future Bright for Mandhana
Devine expressed admiration for Mandhana, noting that with youth on her side, there is still much room for growth. She believes that Mandhana’s skills will only improve as her career unfolds.
In her post-match comments, Devine remarked, “It’s a bit strange to talk about an Indian player in a New Zealand press conference! But Smriti is exceptional. She’s broken records this year, and I’m relieved I’m retiring so I won’t have to contend with her anymore.” Devine emphasized that reaching such a high level in the game requires dedication and a commitment to continuous improvement.
As of now, Mandhana leads the run charts in this World Cup, having scored 331 runs over six matches with an impressive average of 55.16 and a strike rate of 100.60, complete with one century and three half-centuries.
On the other hand, Devine aims to cap off her ODI journey on a positive note. New Zealand will be up against England, led by Nat Sciver-Brunt, on Sunday, October 26, at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam. Currently, Devine stands as the fifth-highest run-scorer in the Women’s World Cup 2025, with her top score being 112 runs against Australia in Indore.
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