Cricket’s summer of goodbyes
A wave of high-profile retirements in international cricket, including stars like Sophie Devine and Kane Williamson, marks a significant transition period for the sport. The article reflects on the legacy of these athletes and coaches as they step away from the game.
Why it matters
It captures a major cultural shift in professional sports as a generation of iconic players exits the global stage.
Sophie Devine stopped kindly for her fans.
She smiled into the selfie camera. She engaged for a while with the cricket fans, who had assembled in large numbers on that warm Sunday afternoon at Lord’s for the Women’s T20 World Cup match between India and Australia.
Devine’s World Cup had been over by then: New Zealand had been knocked out of the Women’s T20 World Cup.
She had announced that she would be quitting international cricket after the World Cup. Suzie Bates and Lea Tahuhu, who along with Devine were the members of the New Zealand that won the last T20 World Cup in UAE two years ago, had also played their last matches for White Ferns.
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