Many players in recent times have turned down central contracts to play franchise-cricket across the globe. The T20 blitzes have been a massive success all the over the world and the cricketers have leaned towards the shortest format. New Zealand fast bowler Mitchell McClenaghan also dumped his national team to play various leagues.
McClenaghan had an outstanding domestic season and was rewarded with a place in the New Zealand squad on the tour to South Africa in 2012-13, and in his first ODI, he returned excellent figures of 4 for 20, becoming only the second New Zealander, after Dayle Hadlee, to take four wickets on ODI debut.
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Despite New Zealand’s early exit from the 2013 Champions Trophy in England, McClenaghan had a successful tournament, picking up 11 wickets. Mitchell McClenaghan was part of New Zealand’s squad at the 2015 World Cup, but the depth of the team’s pace resources only allowed him one match during their surge to the final. However, he played a significant role during the 2016 T20 World Cup helping the Kiwis reach the semifinal.
With express and bounce, the left-arm fast bowler formed a deadly pair with Trent Boult and Tim Southee. McClenaghan became the fastest New Zealand bowler in 2014– and the joint second-fastest from anywhere – to 50 ODI wickets, getting to the mark in only his 23rd match.
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However, his international career took a dip when Mitchell McClenaghan opted out of the central contract to pursue his career in the franchise-based leagues. Recently, in a question-answer session on Facebook, a fan asked about his potential return to the New Zealand side, which the cricketer gladly turned down.
“Will We Ever see Mitc McClenaghan back in Kiwi jersey?”
“Not likely,” McClenaghan replied.
Mitchell McClenaghan has represented New Zealand in 48 ODI and 29 T20Is scalping 112 wickets in total.