New Zealand batsman Colin Munro has officially retired from international cricket after missing out on selection for the T20 World Cup 2024 squad. The 37-year-old, who last played for New Zealand in 2020, had made himself available for selection for the upcoming tournament but was ultimately not chosen.
“Playing for the Black Caps has always been the biggest achievement in my playing career,” Munro said in a statement. “I never felt prouder than donning that jersey, and the fact that I’ve been able to do that 123 times across all formats is something I will always be incredibly proud of.”
Despite not representing New Zealand for several years, Munro had hoped to make a comeback based on his performance in franchise T20 cricket. However, with his omission from the T20 World Cup squad, he has decided to formally retire from international cricket.
“Although it has been a while since my last appearance, I never gave up hope that I might be able to return off the back of my franchise T20 form,” Munro added. “With the announcement of the Black Caps squad for the T20 World Cup now is the perfect time to close that chapter officially.”
Munro, known for his aggressive batting style, played one Test, 57 ODIs, and 65 T20Is for New Zealand. He scored three centuries in T20Is, including a 47-ball hundred against West Indies in 2018, which was a New Zealand record at the time. He also holds the record for the fourth fastest T20I half-century, scoring one in 14 balls against Sri Lanka.
New Zealand Cricket chief executive Scott Weenink praised Munro for his contributions to the game, especially in the short format. “Colin was one of our first players to embrace the aggressive, 360-degree style batting that is now accepted all around the world as best practice,” Weenink said.
Munro will continue to play franchise cricket and is remembered as a pioneering short-form batter for New Zealand.
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