He has played international cricket for 20 years and believes that a “home goodbye” would be the perfect way to conclude his career. A long professional sports career is a testament to talent, hard work, fitness, and passion, among other attributes.
Sachin Tendulkar is revered as the GOAT, Javed Miandad is a legendary figure, Sanath Jayasuriya was a game changer, and Sean Williams is a natural talent.
These four men are the only international cricketers to have played One Day Internationals (ODIs) for over 20 years.
Williams is the newest member of this exclusive group, having reached the 20-year milestone on February 25, 2025. He made his ODI debut on February 25, 2005, against South Africa at Wanderers.
“I’m still trying to come to terms with getting older,” said Williams, reflecting on his career. “It’s an amazing feeling to have been involved in cricket for this long.” The 38-year-old all-rounder joins an elite group of cricketers with extensive ODI careers.
India’s Sachin Tendulkar played 463 ODIs over 22 years, while Sri Lanka’s Sanath Jayasuriya, now the national coach, appeared in 445 matches over 21 years. Javed Miandad of Pakistan participated in 233 games across 20 years, and Williams has now reached 20 years after playing 162 ODIs. “I’m grateful to many people who have supported me at crucial times,” he added.
Zimbabwe is set to co-host the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup alongside South Africa and Namibia. Will Williams still be around?
“I would like to try and play until then, yes,” he replied, “but injuries and form will always be the deciding factors. If I manage to hang on, it may be by a thread, but yes, a home goodbye would be wonderful.”
Williams is just nine matches away from achieving 100 ODIs played at home, and he is Zimbabwe’s sixth highest run scorer in ODIs with 5,140 runs. If he continues until the 2027 World Cup, who knows where he will end up? That year could mark the longest ODI career ever! Time will tell.