Sean Williams

A dynamic left-handed middle-order batsman, Williams has been a reliable player for Zimbabwe for over a decade now. His precious talent was clearly visible while he was still a teenager. With just one first-class game under his belt, Williams was drafted into the squad for the ODI series against South Africa in 2005 and made his much-awaited ODI debut in the first match of the series.

The Bulawayo-born batsman was selected to skipper the u-19 Zimbabwe squad for the 2006 Under-19 World Cup. He led the team to a surprise win over England. The Three Lions were bundled out for 172 and Williams with his left-arm spin bowling was the chief destroyer, picking up 3 wickets and giving away just 35 runs.

Post the 2006 World Cup, Williams had differences with the Zimbabwe Cricket Board. He rejected the new contract from the board and decided to look for a more settled career overseas. However, he changed his mind and three months later was back playing for his national team. 

The ever-reliable batter was part of the Zimbabwe squad for the 2011 World Cup but was forced to fly home due to a fractured thumb.

Williams had to wait nearly eight years after his ODI debut to earn his maiden Test call-up. In 2013, he was named in the Test squad to face the Windies. 

The batter was dropped from the Zimbabwe squad following his heated argument with the then head coach, Stephen Mangongo. However, Mangongo was replaced by Dave Whatmore as the head coach and William was re-called into the side for the 2015 World Cup.

After making his Test debut in 2013, the seasoned campaigner had to wait three more years to notch up his maiden century in Test cricket. He achieved this feat In the first Test match at Bulawayo against New Zealand, scoring a gritty 119 against one of the best bowling units around the world. 

In an ODI match against UAE in 2019, Williams slammed the fastest century by a Zimbabwe player, doing so in just 75 deliveries. 

It won’t be an understatement to say that Williams has been the backbone of the Zimbabwe batting line-up for the past decade. A batsman of high calibre, the southpaw now has the responsibility to take Zimbabwe cricket forward and to make sure that his team plays fearless cricket in order to rise from the ashes.

(As of March 2021)