<p>Christchurch: New Zealand’s Colin Munro, a bruising top-order batter, on Friday announced his retirement from international cricket after he was not included in the national team for the upcoming T20 World Cup.</p>.<p>Munro played one Test, 57 ODIs and 65 T20Is for the Kiwis amassing a total of 3010 runs, but it was in the shortest format the left-hander made a name for himself.</p>.<p> In T20Is, he struck runs at an impressive 156.44 and the 37-year-old remains one of the handful of players who have made upwards of 10000 runs across all T20 competitions.</p>.<p>The Durban-born cricketer has made 10961 runs from 428 T20s, averaging 30.44 and striking at 141.25.</p>.Find a structured way of T20 take-over: Brian Lara urges ICC to save Test cricket.<p>However, Munro’s final game for New Zealand came back in 2020 when he appeared in a T20I game against India at Mount Maunganui.</p>.<p>“Playing for the Black Caps has always been the biggest achievement in my playing career,” said Munro in his retirement statement.</p>.<p>“The fact that I’ve been able to do that 123 times across all formats is something I will always be incredibly proud of,” he added.</p>.<p>Munro said it was the right time to bid adieu to top-level cricket.</p>.<p>“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.</p>.<p>“With the announcement of the Black Caps squad for the T20 World Cup now is the perfect time to close that chapter officially,” he said.</p>.ICC T20 World Cup 2024: India picking 4 spinners isn't surprising, says Walsh.<p>New Zealand coach Gary Stead had said that Munro’s name came up for discussion while picking the squad, but could not find a place for him eventually.</p>.<p>However, he will continue to ply his trade in various T20 leagues across the world.</p>.<p>Munro has some fine records against his name as his 14-ball 50 at Sri Lanka at Eden Park in 2016 still stands at the fastest T20I fifty by a New Zealand batsman, and the fourth quickest of all time.</p>.<p>He also has a 47-ball century against the West Indies to his credit in 2018, and at that time it was the fastest T20I hundred by a Kiwi, which also made him the first player to score three T20I tons. </p>
<p>Christchurch: New Zealand’s Colin Munro, a bruising top-order batter, on Friday announced his retirement from international cricket after he was not included in the national team for the upcoming T20 World Cup.</p>.<p>Munro played one Test, 57 ODIs and 65 T20Is for the Kiwis amassing a total of 3010 runs, but it was in the shortest format the left-hander made a name for himself.</p>.<p> In T20Is, he struck runs at an impressive 156.44 and the 37-year-old remains one of the handful of players who have made upwards of 10000 runs across all T20 competitions.</p>.<p>The Durban-born cricketer has made 10961 runs from 428 T20s, averaging 30.44 and striking at 141.25.</p>.Find a structured way of T20 take-over: Brian Lara urges ICC to save Test cricket.<p>However, Munro’s final game for New Zealand came back in 2020 when he appeared in a T20I game against India at Mount Maunganui.</p>.<p>“Playing for the Black Caps has always been the biggest achievement in my playing career,” said Munro in his retirement statement.</p>.<p>“The fact that I’ve been able to do that 123 times across all formats is something I will always be incredibly proud of,” he added.</p>.<p>Munro said it was the right time to bid adieu to top-level cricket.</p>.<p>“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.</p>.<p>“With the announcement of the Black Caps squad for the T20 World Cup now is the perfect time to close that chapter officially,” he said.</p>.ICC T20 World Cup 2024: India picking 4 spinners isn't surprising, says Walsh.<p>New Zealand coach Gary Stead had said that Munro’s name came up for discussion while picking the squad, but could not find a place for him eventually.</p>.<p>However, he will continue to ply his trade in various T20 leagues across the world.</p>.<p>Munro has some fine records against his name as his 14-ball 50 at Sri Lanka at Eden Park in 2016 still stands at the fastest T20I fifty by a New Zealand batsman, and the fourth quickest of all time.</p>.<p>He also has a 47-ball century against the West Indies to his credit in 2018, and at that time it was the fastest T20I hundred by a Kiwi, which also made him the first player to score three T20I tons. </p>