‘We need to normalise mental health talk’

LONDON: New Zealand women’s team captain Sophie Devine wants discussion about mental health of cricketers to be normalised.

Opening batter Devine had earlier scored a half-century to help her team secure a series-levelling victory against England in her 100th T20 international.

“The way I describe it is it just feels comfortable and it feels like home in a sense,” Devine said. “It’s what all batters, it's what all cricketers, it’s what all athletes, aim to achieve - that real Zen headspace where you’re not thinking of anything, there’s nothing in your mind, there's clarity, and you really know what you’re out there to achieve.

“I had to fight hard and I've been having to fight hard for the last couple of months to get in that space. Not playing and not playing as well as I would like with the bat, today it was about getting in the scrap and putting myself in a position where, when the ball was in my slot, being able to put it away.”

Meanwhile, it was a welcome return to form for the skipper, given that playing such a milestone match - only Amy Satterthwaite and Suzie Bates among New Zealand women have played as many T20Is - wasn’t even on Devine’s mind when she took a mental health break in March.