Colin Munro reveals odd, first-of-its-kind reason not to visit Pakistan for PSL 2021

The upcoming edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL 2021) is inching closer and there is a significant buzz around the competition as well, considering the notable names who are set to feature in it. The tournament has enthralled fans across the world with its high-octane cricketing action. While several stalwarts of the game will add star power to the league, New Zealand's Colin Munro has shockingly decided to pull out of the franchise-based league. 

PSL 2021: Colin Munro to not join his team Islamabad United for the upcoming season 

New Zealand's swashbuckling batsman Colin Munro has established himself as a popular name in the franchise-based tournaments over the world with his exploits in white-ball cricket. The left-handed batsman was retained by the two-time champions for this year's edition of the Pakistan Super League. However, the player has announced that he will not be able to join the squad after failing to find a quarantine spot in New Zealand. 

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According to the rules set by the New Zealand Government, it is imperative for an individual to book a place for quarantine in advance. This proved to be a roadblock for the southpaw and it also hampered his PSL aspirations. The 33-year-old was a part of the Perth Scorchers side in the Big Bash League (BBL 2021) and was slated to travel to Pakistan after the completion of the Australian league. 

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In his conversation with ESPNCricinfo, the dynamic batsman revealed the reason for his unavailability. Munro pointed out that the upcoming season of the PSL would conclude on March 22. However, he could not fly back to New Zealand after that, as the earliest quarantine spot available was in mid of May. 

The player mentioned that the Islamabad United team had retained him ahead of the season and he was disappointed in missing out on the opportunity to play for them. Irrespective of the fiasco, the player opined that this would allow him to spend more time with his family back home. Colin Munro's unavailability could prove to be a major setback for the Islamabad United franchise, as the player has a phenomenal record in the shortest format of the game. 

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Colin Munro career stats

The talented batsman has played 65 T20Is for the New Zealand team and 1,102 runs at an outstanding strike-rate of 156.4. The cricketer also is the first in the history of the game to score three T20I centuries. Colin Munro has also played 57 ODIs for his team and has 1,214 runs in the format. He was also given an opportunity to prove his mettle in the longer format of the game. However, he could only score 15 runs in his debut Test match and has not featured in the New Zealand Test side after that. 

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New Zealand vs Australia 2021 

The two cricketing nations are slated to battle it out in five T20I matches, starting later this month. Colin Munro will be vying for a place in the New Zealand squad after an impressive BBL 2021 season. The batsman scored 441 runs in 14 matches in the 10th edition of the league with four half-centuries. Australia have already announced the squad for the New Zealand vs Australia 2021 series. 

Image source: Colin Munro Instagram