Sean Williams of Zimbabwe entered his 21st year in international cricket when he took the field against Bangladesh in the first Test in Sylhet on Sunday (April 21). Here's the complete list of players who have had the longest international cricket careers.
When did Sean Williams make his Zimbabwe debut?
Williams, a left-hand batter and left-arm orthodox spinner, played his first match for Zimbabwe in February 2005, an ODI against South Africa. It was an uneventful start for the all-rounder, whose three overs went for 16 runs and fetched no wickets, while he was run out for 12 off 26 batting at No.8 in a failed run-chase.
Williams' T20I debut came in November 2006, while his first Test match was against the West Indies in March 2013. The ongoing Test against Bangladesh is his 18th, to go with 162 ODIs and 81 T20Is. As of day two of the first Test (April 21), Williams' international career span stands at 20 years 55 days.
Entering this game, Williams had a Test batting average of 45 with five hundreds to his name. In ODIs, he averages 37 with eight hundreds, while his T20I average is 23, at a strike rate of 126. Williams also has 25 Test, 85 ODI, and 48 T20I wickets to his name.
1st Test, Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe
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Who had the longest international career in men's cricket?
Wilfred Rhodes holds the record for the longest career in men's international cricket. He debuted for England in June 1899 and played his final Test in April 1930 aged 52 years. His career spanned 30 years and 315 days.
Also read: Collins Obuya retires: Which players have had the longest men’s international careers?
Who has the longest men's international career among active cricketers?
Williams career span of 20 years and 58 days (till the end of the first Test vs Bangladesh) is the longest among players still active in men's international cricket.
Shoaib Malik of Pakistan debuted in 1999 and made his last international appearance in 2021, a span of 22 years and 37 days. He hasn't technically announced his retirement yet, and is featuring in the ongoing PSL 2025.
James Anderson had the longest career among active international cricketers until last year when he announced his retirement, his career spanning 21 years and 210 days.
| Player | From | To | Span | Matches |
Wilfred Rhodes (ENG) | 1 Jun 1899 | 12 Apr 1930 | 30y 315d | 58 |
| Brian Close (ENG) | 23 Jul 1949 | 13 Jul 1976 | 26y 356d | 25 |
| Frank Woolley (ENG) | 9 Aug 1909 | 22 Aug 1934 | 25y 13d | 64 |
George Headley (WI) | 11 Jan 1930 | 21 Jan 1954 | 24y 10d | 22 |
Sachin Tendulkar (IND) | 15 Nov 1989 | 16 Nov 2013 | 24y 1d | 664 |
John Traicos (SA/ZIM) | 5 Feb 1970 | 25 Mar 1993 | 23y 48d | 34 |
| Jack Hobbs (ENG) | 1 Jan 1908 | 22 Aug 1930 | 22y 233d | 61 |
Collins Obuya (KENYA) | 15 Aug 2001 | 23 Mar 2024 | 22y 221d | 179 |
| George Gunn (ENG) | 13 Dec 1907 | 12 Apr 1930 | 22y 120d | 15 |
Chris Gayle (ICC/WI) | 11 Sep 1999 | 6 Nov 2021 | 22y 56d | 483 |
Shoaib Malik (ICC/PAK) | 14 Oct 1999 | 20 Nov 2021 | 22y 37d | 446 |
| Syd Gregory (AUS) | 21 Jul 1890 | 22 Aug 1912 | 22y 32d | 58 |
Freddie Brown (ENG) | 29 Jul 1931 | 30 Jun 1953 | 21y 336d | 22 |
| Dave Nourse (SA) | 11 Oct 1902 | 19 Aug 1924 | 21y 313d | 45 |
Shahid Afridi (Asia/ICC/PAK) | 2 Oct 1996 | 31 May 2018 | 21y 241d | 524 |
James Anderson (ENG) | 15 Dec 2002 | 12 Jul 2024 | 21y 210d | 401 |
Sanath Jayasuriya (Asia/SL) | 26 Dec 1989 | 28 Jun 2011 | 21y 184d | 586 |
Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI) | 17 Mar 1994 | 3 May 2015 | 21y 47d | 454 |
| Imran Khan (PAK) | 3 Jun 1971 | 25 Mar 1992 | 20y 296d | 263 |
Norman Gifford (ENG) | 18 Jun 1964 | 26 Mar 1985 | 20y 281d | 17 |
Javed Miandad (PAK) | 11 Jun 1975 | 9 Mar 1996 | 20y 272d | 357 |
| Bob Simpson (AUS) | 23 Dec 1957 | 3 May 1978 | 20y 131d | 64 |
Colin Cowdrey (ENG) | 26 Nov 1954 | 13 Feb 1975 | 20y 79d | 115 |
| Sean Williams (ZIM) | 25 Feb 2005 | 24 Apr 2025 | 20y 58d | 261* |
| Garry Sobers (WI) | 30 Mar 1954 | 5 Apr 1974 | 20y 6d | 94 |
Mushtaq Mohammad (PAK) | 26 Mar 1959 | 29 Mar 1979 | 20y 3d | 67 |
- Not all contests between nations get international status. For example, Alejandro Ferguson of Argentina played a T20I on October 2023, nearly three decades after he played an ICC Trophy match against the UAE in February 1994. None of his pre-2019 games got “international” status. The above list does not include such instances.
