Sean Williams, who played for Zimbabwe against England earlier this year, has entered rehab for a drug addiction, effectively ending his international career in the process
Zimbabwe cricket star Sean Williams has seen his international career ended after entering a rehabilitation programme for drug addiction. Williams is a Zimbabwe legend, having played 273 matches for his country across all formats, but he will never play again internationally.
The 39-year-old batter has been one of the best performers for Zimbabwe over the past 20 years, scoring 14 centuries across Tests and ODIs. However, his career has been blotted by disciplinary issues and unavailability.
Williams pulled out of the squad to play in the recent T20 World Cup Africa Qualifiers, citing “personal reasons”. And, having become irritated by his availability problems, Zimbabwe Cricket conducted an investigation which revealed the real reason behind his withdrawal.
The veteran batter knew that international competition brings with it anti-doping controls and therefore pulled out. His revelation to the board has seen his international career terminated, although the authorities did give him credit for seeking help.
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A statement read: “Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) notes with regret that Sean Williams has made himself unavailable for national selection, most recently withdrawing on the eve of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier 2025 in Harare amid potential anti-doping testing.
“During an internal investigation to understand the reasons for his unavailability, Williams disclosed that he has been struggling with drug addiction and has voluntarily entered rehabilitation. ZC expects all contracted players to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, discipline and compliance with team protocols and anti-doping regulations.
“A review of Williams’ record indicates a history of disciplinary issues and repeated unavailability, which has impacted team preparations and performance. While ZC commends him for seeking rehabilitation, withdrawal from team commitments under circumstances involving potential testing raises serious concerns regarding professional and ethical standards.
“After careful consideration, ZC has concluded that Williams will no longer be considered for national selection. Consequently, it is not feasible to continue his national contract beyond its expiry on 31 December 2025.
“Notwithstanding this, ZC sincerely acknowledges and appreciates his immense contribution to Zimbabwean cricket over the past two decades. Williams has played a pivotal role in some of the most significant moments in our recent history, leaving a lasting legacy both on and off the field. ZC wishes him strength in his recovery and every success in his future endeavours.”
Williams has scored more than 8,000 runs across all formats for Zimbabwe and has been particularly impressive in ODIs, where he has made 5,217 runs at an average of 37.53 in 164 matches. His longevity in the game is such that he recently surpassed James Anderson as longest-serving active international cricketer.
However, the left-handed batter has frequently clashed with Zimbabwe Cricket, with the conflict between playing for his country and earning money abroad often at the heart of the tumultuous relationship.
