Remains open to the possibility of playing white-ball cricket for the country in the future
Williams, the Zimbabwe Test captain right now, is with the national team in Ireland, but had earlier requested the selectors to not consider him for the five T20Is in Ireland, starting Friday, or the T20Is in Scotland next month. But he is available for the three ODIs against Ireland, which will come after the T20Is. ESPNcricinfo understands that he has cited biobubble fatigue and uncertainty over his future as a cricketer as the main reasons for his decision. Williams arrived in Ireland on Wednesday, six days after the rest of the squad, after requesting a mental-health break from the T20I series, and told the team management of his decision shortly after completing his isolation.
Williams, 34, is a veteran of the Zimbabwe team, having made his international debut in 2005, when he turned out in an ODI against South Africa in Johannesburg. Overall, he has played 14 Tests, 136 ODIs and 47 T20Is. Primarily a middle-order batter, the left-handed Williams has 1034 runs in Tests, at an average of 41.36, with four centuries and three half-centuries, as well as 3958 ODI runs at 35.02, with four hundreds and 32 fifties. He also 945 runs in T20Is, at an average of 22.50 and strike rate of 128.39, with six fifties. To go with those numbers, he has picked up 21 wickets in Tests, 72 in ODIs, and 32 in T20Is with his left-arm spin.
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s South Africa correspondent