New Zealand cricket sensation, Colin Munro, has officially bid farewell to the international cricket scene following his omission from New Zealand’s T20 World Cup 2024 squad.
The dynamic left-handed batsman brought the curtains down on his illustrious international career on Friday, which spanned across 123 matches. His last appearance for the New Zealand national team was in the fifth T20I against India at Bay Oval back in 2020. Over the years, Munro showcased his prowess in 65 T20Is, 57 ODIs, and one Test match for New Zealand, amassing an impressive tally of over 3,000 runs and scalping seven wickets.
Munro exits the international arena as New Zealand’s sixth all-time leading T20I run-scorer, boasting 1,724 runs at an average of 31 and a staggering strike rate of 156.4. Moreover, he etched his name in the record books by notching up the highest number of T20I centuries by any New Zealander, a feat he accomplished thrice.
Hailing from Auckland Cricket’s pathway, Munro initially represented New Zealand at the 2006 ICC Under-19 World Cup in Sri Lanka. His international debut across all three formats came during the 2012-13 tour of South Africa.
Munro’s prowess predominantly shone in white-ball cricket, where he became an indispensable asset for the BLACKCAPS’ T20 and ODI squads from 2016 to 2019. He played significant roles in New Zealand’s campaigns in the 2014 and 2016 T20 World Cups, as well as the 2019 ODI World Cup held in England.
Throughout his career, Colin Munro left an indelible mark by shattering records. His blistering 47-ball century against the West Indies at Bay Oval in 2018 not only established a new benchmark for the fastest T20 century by a New Zealander but also positioned him as the inaugural player to achieve three T20 international centuries.
Colin Munro’s retirement marks the end of an era in New Zealand cricket, leaving behind a legacy of excellence and remarkable achievements that will be cherished by cricket enthusiasts for generations to come.
