Devine will lead the team in the ODI World Cup in September

Devine was the permanent captain of the White Ferns in 2020, and has since led the team to new heights, including a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in 2022 and a maiden ICC Women’s T20 World Cup victory last year.

NZC’s head of women’s high performance Liz Green said Devine had the organisation’s full support.

“Sophie’s given nearly 20 years of service to the White Ferns, and NZC is fully supportive of her quest to find more balance at this stage in her career,” Green said.

“We’re pleased to be able to reach an agreement that means she can continue to be involved with the White Ferns on a case-by-case basis, whilst opening up the opportunity for another player to be contracted in full,” she added.

NZC Chief Executive Scott Weenink praised Devine’s contribution to the White Ferns. “Sophie has been an extraordinary leader and ambassador for the WHITE FERNS. Supporting her move to a casual playing agreement will allow her to continue contributing to the WHITE FERNS environment,” he said.

The White Ferns are scheduled to begin their World Cup campaign against seven-time champions Australia on October 1 in Indore.