NZ batter Colin Munro announces international retirement after being left out of T20 World Cup squad

New Zealand batter Colin Munro declared his retirement from international cricket on Friday. This announcement came after he was excluded from New Zealand's squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Over the course of his career, Munro represented New Zealand in one Test, 57 One-Day Internationals (ODIs), and 65 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), accumulating a total of 3010 runs.

The left-handed batter especially excelled in the T20 format, where he achieved a career strike rate of 156.44. At 37 years old, Munro is among the elite few who have scored over 10,000 runs across all T20 competitions, underlining his prowess in the shortest form of the game. Born in Durban, Munro amassed 10,961 runs in 428 T20 matches, boasting an average of 30.44 and a strike rate of 141.25.

Munro last represented New Zealand in a T20I match against India at Mount Maunganui in 2020. Reflecting on his illustrious career, Munro expressed deep pride in his achievements. "Playing for the Black Caps has always been the biggest achievement in my playing career," he stated in his retirement announcement. He further noted, “The fact that I’ve been able to do that 123 times across all formats is something I will always be incredibly proud of.”

Addressing the timing of his retirement, Munro acknowledged the gap since his last international appearance but mentioned his continuous hope for a national team recall, fueled by his performance in various T20 leagues. “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," he explained. “With the announcement of the Black Caps squad for the T20 World Cup now is the perfect time to close that chapter officially,” Munro added.

While Munro was considered for the World Cup team, New Zealand coach Gary Stead confirmed that Munro was discussed but ultimately not selected. Despite stepping back from international duties, Munro plans to continue his cricket career in T20 leagues around the globe.

Munro leaves behind a legacy of impressive records, including the fastest T20I fifty by a New Zealander, which he scored in just 14 balls against Sri Lanka at Eden Park in 2016. This record remains the fourth fastest worldwide. Additionally, his 47-ball century against the West Indies in 2018 stands out as the quickest T20I hundred by a New Zealander at the time, making him the first Kiwi to score three centuries in T20 Internationals.

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