New Zealand Captain Calls for Better Planning in Women’s World Cup
New Zealand’s cricket captain, Sophie Devine, has expressed her frustration with the way the ICC has scheduled the Women’s World Cup, especially after her team’s hopes were dashed by repeated rain delays during the tournament in Sri Lanka. This event marked what was expected to be Devine’s final appearance in one-day internationals before her retirement.
Devine, who has played internationally for nearly 20 years, was looking forward to making a strong impression in what she hoped would be a memorable send-off in the 50-over format. However, the persistent rain and several abandoned matches meant that her team could not gain the momentum they needed.
In an interview with Sky Sports, Devine urged tournament organizers to take weather patterns into account for future events. She highlighted the importance of the World Cup, held only every four years, to both players and fans, and emphasized that better logistical planning is crucial.
“World Cups come around once every four years. It’s disappointing that a tournament can be so affected by weather that we all know about,” Devine said. She pointed out that October is monsoon season in Sri Lanka, a fact that could have easily been checked online before planning the tournament dates.
Devine also acknowledged the need for financial considerations from broadcasters and sponsors but stressed that the players deserve a fair chance to compete. “Watching covers being taken on and off isn’t much fun for anyone,” she noted.
New Zealand’s World Cup journey ended with a disappointing defeat to India, where they managed just one win from six matches, placing their hopes of advancing to the semi-finals in jeopardy. Critical matches against Pakistan and Sri Lanka were both washed out, leading to shared points and complicating their path forward.
At the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, a total of four matches were called off due to rain, and two others were shortened, leaving New Zealand struggling to find their rhythm. When play finally resumed, they faced a daunting target of 325 runs against India, which proved too steep to climb.
For Devine, who was appointed captain in 2020, this was a bittersweet end to her ODI career. She successfully led the team through a transitional phase and even brought home a T20 World Cup title. As she steps away from the 50-over format, her message to the cricketing community is clear: future tournaments need to respect the athletes who dedicate their lives to the sport through better planning and consideration.
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