New Zealand opener Colin Munro is still in contention to feature in the 2024 T20 World Cup, to be held in West Indies and USA in June. Having played his last international game in 2020, the swashbuckling left-hander is in-line to make a comeback due to his record in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). The opening batter has 2,353 runs in CPL, at an average of 35.65 and a strike rate of 128.86 with one hundred and 16 half-centuries. While he did turn down the offer to make a comeback in New Zealand’s five T20Is versus Pakistan, in Pakistan, his name will come up for discussion when the selectors meet to finalise the T20 WC squad. 

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NZ are gearing up for a five-match T20I series in Pakistan and named a second-stringed lineup, without the likes of Kane Williamson and Rachin Ravindra, due to IPL commitments, and, hence, Munro was offered to make a return. While he declined the chance, selection manager Sam Wells said he still remains in contention for the T20 WC.

“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 was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.

“He made himself unavailable for this tour but he’s potentially still an option,” Wells further said.

Munro is the seventh-highest run-getter of CPL, while for the New Zealand national team he has scored 1,724 runs in T20Is, striking at 156.44, including three centuries and 11 fifties. Thus, his overall record in the format and experience of playing in the Caribbean island keeps him in the selectors’ radar. However, given the Kiwis have plenty of options at the top — with Finn Allen, Ravindra, Williamson and Devon Conway — it won’t be easy for Munro to feature in the XI even if he becomes part of the final squad for the World Cup. 

In this regard, Wells said, “I don’t think it takes a rocket scientist to work out that our top order is relatively settled but if anything were to happen with injuries and what-not, he’s still an option for us.”

All the participating teams have to submit their provisional squads by May 1, with a final deadline on May 25.

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