Former Zimbabwe cricket captain Sean Williams has been ruled out of international selection permanently after revelations about a drug addiction.
The 39-year-old played 24 Tests, 164 ODIs and 85 T20I for his country over the last 20 years, making his international debut in a 2005 ODI vs. South Africa.
Williams - who is currently the longest-serving active international cricketer - last played a T20 for Zimbabwe in December, while his previous Tests and ODIs were in August.
He compiled 8968 runs took 161 wickets from 273 matches for his nation across all three cricket disciplines.
MORE: Australia Ashes squad: List of players for first Test against England
After withdrawing from an upcoming Zimbabwe T20 match, Williams admitted his addiction to the nation's cricketing body, who decided to axe the veteran after an investigation.
“During an internal investigation to understand the reasons for his unavailability, Williams disclosed that he has been struggling with drug addiction and has voluntarily entered rehabilitation,” Zimbabwe Cricket said via 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.”
Williams captained his nation for 18 matches across all three formats, including four Tests, 11 ODIs and three T20Is.