'What is Colin Munro doing in New Zealand?' - Mitchell McClenaghan blasts Blackcaps' 'worst World Cup' campaign after T20 WC exit

Former New Zealand pacer and cricket pundit, Mitchell McClenaghan, has unleashed a scathing attack on the New Zealand cricket team and the national selectors after their early exit from the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2024.

McClenaghan questioned the team selection, particularly the exclusion of the experienced batter Colin Munro, who amassed 2146 runs in the Caribbean. He blamed the poor decision-making and lack of preparations for New Zealand's disastrous performance in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024.

On June 14, Afghanistan’s seven-wicket win over PNG meant that the Black Caps’ hopes of qualifying for the Super-8 stage of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 were completely over, with Rashid Khan’s team and the co-hosts, the West Indies, already progressing to the next round from Group C.

Mitchell McClenaghan blasts New Zealand's T20 World Cup 2024 selection after early exit

The Black Caps suffered back-to-back defeats against Afghanistan and the West Indies in their first two Group C games in the tournament to block their road to the Super 8s, and McClenaghan slammed the Kiwis’ performance by calling it their worst World Cup since 2014 in Bangladesh.

Mitchell McClenaghan said on ESPNCricinfo's 'TimeOut' show: “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.”

The former pacer said that New Zealand underestimated their opponents, particularly Afghanistan and the West Indies, and it led to their downfall in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024.

We went a little bit unprepared and it has cost us: Mitchell McClenaghan

He argued that the Black Caps went into the tournament with a complacent mindset, expecting easy wins, and thus they failed to prepare sufficiently for the challenges they faced in the mega event.

McClenaghan further stated, “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.”

He pointed out that New Zealand’s batting lineup was significantly weak, lacking the necessary experience in Caribbean conditions, and it played a major role in their struggles in the tournament.

"T20 World Cups are different beasts to the ODI World Cups"

According to McClenaghan, lack of preparation and strategic decisions were crucial factors in their early elimination from the tournament. He joked that the Black Caps made the mistake of mistaking the T20 World Cup for the ODI World Cup.

He signed off by saying, “T20 World Cups are different beasts to the ODI World Cups, aren't they? Our batting was a major concern, and you have got to look at the experience in the Caribbean when there is a competition that plays there every year. There is only one player who has played there consistently, and that is Glenn Phillips.”

Notably, New Zealand will play their last two Group C games against Uganda and PNG on June 15 and 17, respectively, before taking their flight back home, as table-topping Afghanistan and second-placed West Indies already have six points with one game remaining, so there are no hopes for them even if they win their remaining two games in the tournament.