Brisbane Heat sign Colin Munro for two more seasons

Defending champions Brisbane Heat have signed former New Zealand cricketer Colin Munro for two additional seasons.

Munro, who retired from international cricket earlier this year after missing out on New Zealand's T20 World Cup squad, is a seasoned T20 player. He has played 428 T20 matches across various competitions, amassing 10,961 runs at a strike rate of 141.25, including five centuries and 67 fifties.

This upcoming season will mark Munro's third stint with the Heat. He is the fourth player to be signed under the new BBL rules, which allow each club to secure one international player on a multi-year contract before the overseas player draft. Munro previously played for Perth Scorchers, helping them win the BBL title in the 2021-22 season. For the Heat, he scored notable knocks of 98 and 99 not out in the past couple of seasons.

In his previous seasons, Munro had to leave early to join the Desert Vipers in the ILT20 league. However, his new contract with the Heat ensures he will be available for the entire BBL season, including the finals.

Meanwhile, the Heat's former star player Sam Billings has joined Sydney Thunder, and last season's standout, Josh Brown, will play for Melbourne Renegades. 

Reflecting on his return, Munro shared his excitement, saying, "It was pretty poignant being away and watching the boys go one better to win the title, after going through the disappointment of the previous season when we got beaten at the death in the final. It's a strong squad again and I'm looking forward to being part of what we can build together. There are always opportunities to get better and as a group, we should be excited about the new goals we will pursue this summer."

In addition, Johan Botha has been named as Brisbane Heat's new coach, replacing Wade Seccombe for the upcoming season.