New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) Former New Zealand captain Sophie Devine reflected on her 20-year international career with an emotional message after bringing the curtain down on her time with the White Ferns following the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026.

The veteran all-rounder, whose final international appearance came in New Zealand’s tournament-ending defeat, thanked teammates, support staff, fans, and her family while looking back on a journey that spanned two decades in the silver fern.

Devine, who retired alongside long-time teammates Suzie Bates and Lea Tahuhu after the White Ferns bowed out of the competition, admitted that the magnitude of the moment had only begun to sink in.

“Well…not too sure where the last twenty years have gone, but to walk off the park one final time, with my two great mates, is a pretty fitting farewell to the international game,” Devine wrote while sharing pictures with her teammates on Instagram.

The 35-year-old paid tribute to the countless people who shaped her international journey, acknowledging that her career was built on the efforts of far more people than she could individually name.

“Don’t think I’ll be able to thank all the people that have played a part in my journey, because otherwise I’ll name half of NZ, but to the coaches, physios, trainers, officials, fans, and media, thank you. Thank you for supporting me, pushing me, and, most importantly, putting up with my shit,” she said.

While Devine’s career featured numerous individual milestones—including leading New Zealand to the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup title—she said it was representing her country alongside her teammates that remained her greatest source of pride.

“To my White Fern teammates (there’s probably about a hundred of ya!), you are the reason I played the game…to represent our beautiful Aotearoa on the world stage, side by side…there’s nothing that filled me with more pride,” she added.

Devine also reserved special words for her family, who were present to witness her final walk off the international stage after supporting her throughout the highs and lows of her career.

“And last but not least…to my family. To have you watch me walk off the field for the last time is one of the most special moments of my career. You’ve seen it all. The good days. The bad days (there were a few), you have always had my back, and I’ve never forgotten that when I pulled on the Silver Fern,” Devine penned.

She concluded the message with a Māori proverb that encapsulated how she viewed her achievements—not as individual accomplishments, but as the product of collective support.

“Ehara taku toa, he takitahi, he toa takitini (My success is not mine alone, but the strength of many),” she expressed.

Devine leaves international cricket as one of New Zealand’s finest all-rounders, ending a career that spanned two decades and concluded alongside fellow White Ferns stalwarts Bates and Tahuhu, bringing to a close one of the most celebrated eras in the team’s history.

–IANS

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