By Trisha Ghosal in Mumbai
The Hardest Pill to Swallow
Sophie Devine has never been one to hide behind excuses. But as she fronted the press after New Zealand’s World Cup exit, her voice carried a mix of pride, pain, and perspective. “It’s tough, I thought I’d get through this without crying, but it’s emotional,” she admitted, reflecting on a campaign that fell apart in the face of both weather and opposition. “We worked incredibly hard, but sometimes in sport, hard work doesn’t guarantee results. That’s the hardest pill to swallow.”
“We Just Didn’t Score Enough Runs”
Asked what went wrong in Mumbai, Devine didn’t sugarcoat it. “If you don’t score enough runs, you generally don’t win. It was a big total, but we had confidence in our side. It was an outstanding batting wicket, quick outfield, and India put a big total on the board. Brooke (Halliday) and Izzy (Gaze) batted exceptionally and gave us a small chance, but today wasn’t our day.”
Her honesty summed up the mood in the camp, frustration at missed chances but also acknowledgement of India’s superior batting display.
Rain, Duckworth-Lewis, and the What-Ifs
The weather once again played its unpredictable hand. “Who knows? The weather, shock horror, played another part in one of our games,” Devine smiled wryly. “Maybe another six overs could have changed something, but honestly, I’ve got no idea how Duckworth-Lewis works!”
The quip drew laughter, but the undercurrent was clear, New Zealand were tired of being at the mercy of circumstances beyond their control.
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On Smriti Mandhana’s Rise
When asked about Smriti Mandhana’s match-defining hundred, Devine grinned. “Do you want me to talk about an Indian player? This was a New Zealand press conference, wasn’t it?” she joked before adding, “Smriti’s an outstanding player. She’s smashed records this year and she’s still young. I’m glad I’m retiring, I won’t have to bowl to her again!”
It was an acknowledgement of the class that separated the two sides, a calm Indian batting performance against a White Ferns outfit that kept fighting.
“We’re Human Too”
As the questions turned personal, Devine’s composure remained remarkable. “People forget we’re human, we feel the criticism, the hurt, the expectations. Losing pressers are the hardest, but you’ve got to front up. It sucks, but that’s sport.”
With one match left in her international career, Sophie Devine’s words reflected not defeat, but dignity, the kind that defines true leaders when the scoreboard doesn’t.
