Legendary cricketer Sir Garfield Sobers passes away; breathed his last at the age of 89

New Delhi: Sir Garfield Sobers, a former West Indies captain and one of the greatest all-rounders in the history of cricket, passed away on Friday. He was 89 years old. His son, Daniel, confirmed the legendary cricketer's death; he would have turned 90 in ten days. Widely regarded as one of the sport's finest all-rounders, Sobers played 93 Test matches between March 1954 and April 1974, scoring 8,032 runs at an average of 57.78, including 26 centuries and 30 half-centuries.

A left-handed batsman and left-arm medium-pace bowler, Sobers claimed 235 wickets in Test cricket. He played just one One Day International (ODI), taking one wicket. He was also the first batsman to hit six sixes in a single over in first-class cricket—a feat he achieved in 1968 while playing for Nottinghamshire against Glamorgan.

How will Sir Garfield Sobers be remembered?

While Sobers will always be remembered for the feat achieved at St Helen's, Swansea, in 1968—when he became the first batsman to hit six sixes in a single over of six consecutive balls in first-class cricket—his long and illustrious career was marked by countless other achievements.

Sobers made his first-class debut for Barbados in 1953 at the age of 16; his extraordinary talent earned him a quick call-up to the national squad, and he made his Test debut for the West Indies the following year. It did not take him long to make his mark on the world stage. In 1958, playing against Pakistan, Sobers scored his maiden Test century and went on to remain unbeaten on 365—setting a new record for the highest individual score in a Test innings. This record stood until it was broken by Brian Lara in 1994. True to his stature and ability, Sobers retired early, at the age of 38 in 1974.

The late Richie Benaud—a respected broadcaster and former Australian captain—described Sobers as "the world's greatest all-round cricketer." He wrote: "Sobers was a magnificent batsman, an outstanding fielder (especially close to the wicket), and a bowler of exceptional skill—whether bowling with the new ball, traditional left-arm spin, or wrist spin."