New Zealand veteran Colin Munro has announced his retirement from international cricket, ending his 123-game career with the Black Caps.
The 37-year-old, who represented the Black Caps (57 ODIs, 65 T20Is) in one Test, made the announcement after being left out of New Zealand’s squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup in West Indies and the United States.
The left-hander, who captained the Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League last summer, will continue to play franchise cricket.
“Playing for the Black Caps has always been the greatest achievement of my playing career,” Munro said in a statement.
“I have never been prouder than wearing that jersey. Being able to do that 123 times across all formats is something I will always be incredibly proud of.
“Despite the fact that it has been a long time since my last appearance, I have never given up hope of a return to franchise T20 form. With the announcement of the Black Caps squad for the T20 World Cup, now is the perfect time to officially close that chapter.”
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Munro made his international debut in all three formats during the 2012/13 tour of South Africa, but has not represented the Black Caps since losing his central contract in 2020.
He scored a 47-ball century in a T20I against the West Indies in 2018, which was a national record at the time, and a 14-ball fifty against Sri Lanka in 2016, which remains a Black Caps record.
Munro averaged 31.34 in T20Is with a strike rate of 156.44. No New Zealander has scored more runs in a format with a higher strike rate.
“Colin was one of the first players to embrace the aggressive 360-degree batting style that is now accepted as best practice around the world,” New Zealand Cricket CEO Scott Weenink said in a statement.
“He was one of the pioneers of a new game, an innovative batsman who took calculated risk-taking to a new level and the man who led what would become a revolution in the way short-form cricket was played. “We thank him for his incredible contributions in over 100 international games and wish him all the best for the future.”
