Munro 'potentially still an option' for New Zealand's T20 World Cup squad
Munro hasn't played for New Zealand since 2020 and has made himself unavailable for the T20I tour of Pakistan
ESPNcricinfo staff
03-Apr-2024
Colin Munro is 37, but is still a heavy scorer in the franchise T20 league circuit • Getty Images
Colin Munro is under consideration for New Zealand's T20 World Cup squad at the age of 37, four years after his last international appearance.
Munro turned down a call-up for New Zealand's upcoming T20I series in Pakistan but his record in the CPL means his name will come up for discussion when the selectors pick a 15-man squad this month. The ICC requires teams to submit their provisional squads by May 1, with a final deadline on May 25.
New Zealand named a second-string squad for their five-match series in Pakistan on Wednesday, with nine players unavailable due to their IPL commitments, and selection manager Sam Wells revealed that they had sounded Munro out ahead of the tour. He declined the chance to be in the squad, but remains in their thoughts with an eye on the World Cup.
"We got in touch with Colin. He's obviously been in fine form for the last few years in various competitions around the world and, in particular, has an excellent record in the Caribbean Premier League," Wells said. "He made himself unavailable for this tour but he's potentially still an option."
Munro is the seventh-highest run-scorer in the CPL's history, and the highest run-scorer among overseas players. He spent seven seasons with Trinbago Knight Riders before joining St Lucia Kings last year and has 2353 runs in the CPL overall, at an average of 35.65 and a strike rate of 128.86.
He has not played for New Zealand since losing his central contract in 2020, and has previously addressed his disappointment at missing out on selection for the 2021 T20 World Cup. Munro turned 37 last month but has an excellent record in T20Is, averaging 31.34 with a strike rate of 156.44 across 65 matches.
New Zealand have plenty of top-order batters in T20Is including Finn Allen, Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra, so it may take an injury for Munro to force his way in. "I don't think it takes a rocket scientist to work out that our top order is relatively settled," Wells said, "but if anything were to happen with injuries and what-not, he's still an option for us."
All four of New Zealand's Group C fixtures at the World Cup are at venues with a reputation for assisting spinners. They start the tournament against Afghanistan at Providence in Guyana, then face West Indies, Uganda and Papua New Guinea at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad.