Zimbabwe Cricket announce Sean Williams in rehabilitation due to drug addiction

The 39-year-old has scored close to 9 000 runs and taken more than 150 wickets across all three formats of the game for his country in a career spanning more than 20 years.

Williams withdrew from the Zimbabwe squad ahead of the World Cup Africa Qualifier series in Harare in September citing "personal reasons".

Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) said in a statement: "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."

The statement added that the board "expects all contracted players to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, discipline and compliance with team protocols and anti-doping regulations".