Sophie Devine has been one of the torchbearers of women’s cricket for close to two decades now. She announced her retirement from ODIs in 2025 after the World Cup. While 2025 has been a lucky year for teams and players who had long starved for silverware, Devine cannot quite say the same. Apart from being a trailblazer, she has also been one of the most loved characters in women’s cricket, but 2025 for her has been a story of what could have been.
The Hundred Women’s Competition
Devine featured for Southern Brave in The Hundred Women’s competition in 2025. While her personal contribution came more with the ball than the bat — 13 wickets in nine games alongside 165 runs — Southern Brave enjoyed a remarkable unbeaten run through the league stage. They did not lose a single game heading into the final. However, echoing the heartbreak of India’s men at the ODI World Cup final in 2023, Southern Brave faltered at the final hurdle, losing their only match of the tournament, the final, against Northern Superchargers. The Hundred trophy came agonisingly close for Devine, but remained just out of reach.
WODI World Cup 2025
Ahead of the Women’s ODI World Cup, Devine made an announcement that left fans emotional, whichever match turned out to be her last at the tournament would also be her final ODI for New Zealand. Once again, luck deserted her. New Zealand were denied a fair chance to reach the semi-finals as two of their group matches were washed out, against Sri Lanka and Pakistan. While victories in those games would not have guaranteed a semi-final berth, they would certainly have placed New Zealand in a stronger position to push for qualification. Devine’s emotional press conference after New Zealand’s match against India, her final ODI, touched hearts across the sporting world, but it was not meant to be.
Women’s Big Bash League 2025
Devine captained Perth Scorchers in the WBBL 2025. Both the team and Devine herself endured a mixed season; she finished with 235 runs and 15 wickets from 13 matches. Yet, Perth Scorchers found a way to win key moments and crunch games, pushing themselves into the final. For Devine and her fans, it felt like the year might finally end with some fortune. That, too, was denied. The trophy once again proved elusive as Perth Scorchers were beaten in the final by Ellyse Villani’s Hobart Hurricanes.
Although Sophie Devine lifted the T20 World Cup trophy in 2024, the period since has been marked by a series of near misses. While her performances have remained steady, heartbreak has followed her more often than not. Devine will now shift her focus to the T20 World Cup in 2026, set to be held in England. It could well be her final T20 World Cup, and she will be hoping to change her fortune and sign off on the biggest stage with a high.
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