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Zimbabwe's Sean Williams plays a shot during the first Twenty20 cricket match between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Jan. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena, File)
Former Zimbabwe captain Sean Williams’ international career was effectively over after he had to take up a rehabilitation programme for his drug addiction. Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) announced on Tuesday that Williams had made himself unavailable for selection, and the men who matter would also not consider picking him in the future.
Williams had opted out of a T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier series at home in September. The country’s national cricketing body said that during an internal investigation to find out the reason behind his pullout, he had “disclosed that he has been struggling with drug addiction and has voluntarily entered rehabilitation”.
“After careful consideration, Zimbabwe Cricket has concluded that Williams will no longer be considered for national selection”.
“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,” A ZC statement said.
The 39-year-old made his debut for Zimbabwe in 2005 and played all three formats for his country. He was most prolific playing ODI cricket, scoring 5217 runs in 164 matches at an average of 37.53. He also took 86 wickets with the ball, with best figures of 4/43.
Despite deciding not to select him, Zimbabwe Cricket did congratulate Williams on a fine international career and wished him well for his future.
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“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,” the statement said.
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