After wrapping up Zimbabwe’s recent five-match T20I series against Bangladesh, veteran batter Sean Williams has announced his retirement from T20 international cricket.
Sean Williams, Zimbabwe’s second-most capped player in T20Is, has quietly called it quits from the shortest format of the game. Reports suggest that he shared this decision with his teammates following Zimbabwe’s series against Bangladesh, where they faced a 1-4 loss.
In the series, Williams didn’t make a notable impact, playing only two matches. His performance wasn’t remarkable either, being dismissed for a golden duck in the first game and not even getting a chance to bat in the last match.
Even though Williams himself hasn’t had an official announcement, a source within the Bangladesh Cricket Board, linked to the Zimbabwe team, confirmed his retirement from T20Is.
However, this isn’t the end of the road for Williams in cricket. He’ll still don the Zimbabwean jersey in ODIs and Test matches, continuing his journey in those formats. It’s just a shift in focus for the seasoned all-rounder.
“He (Williams) decided to retire from T20I and informed about his decision to his team mates following the game,” a BCB official said, reported Cricbuzz.
It marks the end of one of the longest T20I journeys in cricket history. Williams debuted in November 2006 at just 20 years old, facing Bangladesh. Interestingly, his final match was also against Bangladesh, 18 years later.
Finishing an 18-year T20I career, Williams ranks second in caps and runs for Zimbabwe. Only Sikandar Raza has more runs with 1947, compared to Williams’ 1691. He’s among three Zimbabwe batters with over 10 T20I fifties.
In his 81-match T20I career, Williams captained Zimbabwe 12 times, last leading them in December 2023 against Ireland. Approaching 5000 runs in ODIs, Williams has 4986 runs from 156 matches, boasting an average of 38.06 and a strike rate of 86.69. With eight centuries and 35 half-centuries, he’s proven his prowess in ODIs, complemented by 83 wickets.
Williams holds the rare achievement of 1000 runs, 50 wickets, and 50 catches in ODI cricket. Additionally, he played 14 Test matches, amassing 1034 runs with four centuries and three fifties, along with 21 Test wickets.
