The White Ferns will be missing some heavy hitters for their opening T20 against England in Dunedin tomorrow.
Coach Ben Sawyer yesterday confirmed the pair would miss game one of the five-game series.
Kerr’s Mumbai Indians were eliminated from the Women’s Premier League by Devine’s Royal Challenger’s Bangalore at the weekend.
But travel complications meant Kerr would not return to New Zealand in time for the opener.
The classy all-rounder will be available for the second game at Saxton Oval on Friday, though, and Devine, who will depart India immediately following the WPL final, is also expected to be available.
Wellington batter Georgia Plimmer will fill one of the vacancies, while a second player from the New Zealand A squad will also be called into camp.
"We tried our best to get Melie here as quick as we could but it was a bit difficult to do that, and Sophie will be on a plane as soon as that final is done", Sawyer said.
It is disappointing news for Dunedin-based fans who have been robbed of the opportunity to see the talented duo in action live.
It is also another reminder domestic cricket is pulling away some of the best players from the international game.
Sawyer does not necessarily see it as a negative, though.
"We always knew this was a possibility", he said.
"There is two things to it. It is being able to play in those really big games in franchise cricket to get that experience in the subcontinent in conditions that we are going to come up against in Bangladesh [during the T20 World Cup later this year] ... so I think the positives there outweigh the negatives of maybe missing one game.
"And also we get to look at a few players like Georgia and the one extra player to come in. We get to test our depth and it is only for the one match."
Otago stalwart Suzie Bates will captain the team in Devine’s absence.
Plimmer’s inclusion will not cause much disruption. She was named in the one-day team and has been a regular in the squad.
Canterbury opener Kate Anderson shapes as the most likely extra player to join the squad.
She was part of the White Ferns squad for the series against Pakistan earlier in the summer.
Otago swing bowler Emma Black was named domestic player of the year but will have to wait for a vacancy to open up before she gets an opportunity at international level.
Central Hinds seamer Rosemary Mair had an "outstanding" Super Smash campaign and has earned her recall.
Jess Kerr is a very similar bowler to Black and adds more with the bat.
But Sawyer said they were keeping a close eye on Black and she would bowl in the nets today so they could "get an even closer look".
