1 min readUpdated: Jul 17, 2026 09:08 PM IST
Former West Indies cricketer Sir Garfield Sobers passed away on Friday at the age of 89 at home in Barbados. Sobers is widely regarded as cricket’s greatest all-rounder.
“A great innings has come to an end. In our hearts, now and forever, Sir Garfield Sobers,” Cricket West Indies said in a post on X.
A left-handed batsman who could bowl in the vastly different styles of fast-medium, orthodox spin and wrist spin, as well as a brilliant fielder, Barbados-born Sobers represented the West Indies in 93 Tests from 1954 to 1974.
Without much debate, Sobers is considered the greatest all-rounder that the sport has seen. He scored over 8,000 Test runs and picked up 235 wickets on the international arena, and overall, more than 28,000 runs and a staggering 1043 wickets.
“The greatest all-round cricketer the world has seen”. He wrote: “Sobers was a brilliant batsman, splendid fielder, particularly close to the wicket, and a bowler of extraordinary skill, whether bowling with the new ball, providing orthodox left-arm spin or over-the-wrist spin,” late Richie Benaud, renowned broadcaster, said.
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