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New Zealand suffered a huge blow ahead of their ICC Women's T20 World Cup campaign after captain Sophie Devine sustained an injury while playing in the domestic circuit.
The White Ferns skipper broke her foot and will not be part of the team's practice matches against England as a precaution, confirmed coach Ben Sawyer. Sawyer downplayed the severity of the injury and believes the 33-year-old will be ready to go for their opening match of the tournament against Australia on February 11. "We're taking it nice and slow with her. She is tracking well and was walking around today and had a little bit of a catch and a throw. Everyone is confident she's going to be there for the first game," Sawyer told reporters while in Pretoria. Devine would be a key player in the Kiwi campaign, with the side looking to go further than their group-stage exit in the 2020 tournament. The White Ferns captain was named skipper of the ICC Women's T20I Team of the Year in the 2022 ICC Awards, scoring 389 runs at a strike rate of 112 and taking 13 wickets across T20Is over the calendar year. The all-rounder is not the only New Zealand player under an injury cloud either, with young left-arm orthodox spinner Fran Jonas battling a calf strain sustained at the U19 Women's T20 World Cup, also in South Africa. On top of facing the defending champions, New Zealand also meet hosts South Africa, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in their T20 World Cup group Bangladesh, with the top two teams advancing to the semi-finals. (ANI)
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