Captain Courageous SOPHIE'S DIVINE COMEBACK

The Kiwi cricketer has hit her mental issues out of the park and is ready to take on the best in the world

- Rebekah Hebenton

We may only be months into 2022, but White Ferns captain Sophie Devine is already racking up the wins.

When the Weekly speaks to the 32-year-old cricketer, she is enjoying a rare day off in the middle of a series of one-day tests against India. This comes only two weeks after she was hoisting up the Super Smash T20 trophy alongside her Wellington Blaze teammates.

And on March 4, she will lead New Zealand on to the pitch for the inaugural match of the 2022 Women’s Cricket World Cup.

Though she couldn’t possibly be busier, Sophie says she still can’t quite believe that this is her life.

“It’s something I’m really humbled by. If you’d have told me 10 years ago that I’d be leading our team into a home World Cup, I probably wouldn’t have believed you,” says the Wellingtonian. “We’re representing not only our friends and whanau, but also the whole country, which I am incredibly proud to do.”

For Sophie, her love of cricket comes from watching her dad Peter and older brother Sam playing the favourite Kiwi pastime in the backyard. By the age of four, Sophie had picked up the bat and joined the family team.

“Dad was my coach up to high school and has always been my biggest supporter. To this day, he will still give me some friendly advice and I really cherish that.”