Mitchell McClenaghan questions absence of Munro in NZ T20 team

Former New Zealand pacer Mitchell McClenaghan blasted the team selection after the Kane Williamson-led Blackcaps’ early exit from the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024.

Reacting to New Zealand’s dismal campaign during an interview, the former pacer-turned-expert said that poor decision in team selection and lack of preparation were the reasons Blackcaps exited the marquee event in the early stage.

According to Mitchell McClenaghan, New Zealand missed the trick in their team selection by excluding opening batter Colin Munro who has amassed over 2,000 runs in the Caribbean Premier League.

“They left the guy out of the squad who scored 2146 runs in the Caribbean. What is he doing in New Zealand? That is all I’ll ask you. It has probably been our worst World Cup since 2014 in Bangladesh,” he said.

The former New Zealand pacer said that Kane Williamson’s men underestimated their opposition including Afghanistan and West Indies and did not prepare for the upcoming challenges in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024.

“And perhaps we got caught on the hop. Maybe we went into this tournament thinking that Afghanistan wasn’t going to be as good as they were, that we could get the over the wood against the West Indies even in their home conditions, and probably went a little bit unprepared. And it’s cost us,” McClenaghan added.

He also highlighted the struggles of the team’s batting lineup and the batters’ lack of experience in the Caribbean conditions, which according to him dented New Zealand’s T20 World Cup 2024 campaign.

With Afghanistan’s victory over Papua New Guinea in June 14 match, the Blackcaps are officially out of the tournament as they had suffered consecutive defeats at the hands of Afghanistan and West Indies.

Afghanistan’s triumph over PNG means that the top team from Group C will be Afghanistan and West Indies.