Photo: PHOTOSPORT
White Ferns captain Sophie Devine will miss the start of Super Smash season with Wellington Blaze.
New Zealand Cricket and Cricket Wellington decided to give Devine a wellbeing break following a heavy workload over the past 12 months.
Devine will be unavailable for the Blaze for the first half of the campaign to allow her time to rest and freshen up, before a decision is made on her involvement in the remainder of the tournament.
NZC head of women's high performance Liz Green said the decision wasn't an easy one, but the player's wellbeing had to be put first.
"Our players' mental and physical wellbeing is always our number one priority and it's clear Sophie simply needs a break," Green said.
"2024 is shaping as another big year for the White Ferns with England arriving later in the summer and the ICC T20 World Cup on the horizon.
"Sophie's understandably disappointed but we're adamant she needs this break to re-charge her batteries and be well-prepared for the upcoming challenges."
The Wellington Blaze open their Super Smash campaigns at home on Thursday at Basin Reserve against the Otago Sparks and White Fern Amelia Kerr will captain the Blaze for the competition.