Sophie Devine

Sophie Devine is a double international, meaning she has represented New Zealand in both cricket and field hockey. Her aim while growing was to represent the All Blacks, New Zealand's rugby team, but cricket and hockey took precedence during her stint in Tawa college, where she used to play along with the boys.

Devine was born in Porirua, New Zealand and grew up in Wellington before he father was transferred on work to Christchurch. However, she turns up domestically for Wellington. During her final year in college, Devine was awarded a 'wicket' for scalping the most number of wickets in the season - an award that had been won by New Zealand fast bowler Mark Gillespie the previous year.

Starting as a seam bowler, Devine like many of her peers shifted her focus towards batting. Picked as a 17-year-old for the White Ferns side in 2006, Devine needed almost four years to cement a place in the national side. A couple fifties in 2010 had been recorded, but nothing substantial.

The breakout season came in 2015 when she scored a magnificent 145 against South Africa in the Women's World Cup opener in India. That set her on the path to greatness. Devine has been consistent since then and a key member of the White Ferns side along with Suzie Bates and Amy Satterthwaite.

Devine also holds the dubious record of scoring the fastest fifty in Women's Twenty20 International (WT20Is). The blistering knock came off 18 balls against India at the batting paradise in Bengaluru. She went on and finished with a 70 off 22 balls.

The right-hander medium pacer in her never really gave up on bowling. She continues to play a vital role and gives her side an extra dimension with the ball. The three allrounders Bates, Devine and Satterthwaite have formed the core of the White Ferns team.

Sophie's love for the game: Growing up, Sophie Devine, loved playing all kinds of sports. She often used to accompany her Dad and her brothers and played all kinds of sports till the sun went down. At one point, she played both hockey and cricket at the national level. She, in fact, wanted to represent Black Sticks (New Zealand's women's hockey team) Olympic team (at Beijing Olympics 2008), but missed out narrowly. However, the poignancy of a missed opportunity didn't last long as Sophie was soon offered her first professional women's contract and the legendary all-rounder never looked back since.

By Akshay Maanay