Sir Garfield Sobers, cricket legend, dies at 89

Sir Garfield Sobers, the legendary West Indies cricketer widely regarded as the greatest all-rounder the sport has ever seen, died at his home in Barbados on July 17, 2026. He was 89. Cricket West Indies confirmed his death, which followed a period of illness. His son, Daniel Sobers, said he passed away peacefully with family at his side, just 11 days before his 90th birthday.

Sobers’ career statistics only begin to tell the story of a player considered the most complete cricketer in history. In a Test career spanning from 1954 to 1974, he scored 8,032 runs at an average of 57.78 and took 235 wickets. He was a graceful and destructive left-handed batsman, a left-arm bowler skilled at pace, orthodox spin, and wrist spin, and a brilliant fielder. His defining moment came in 1958 at age 21 when he scored an unbeaten 365 against Pakistan, setting a new world record for the highest individual Test score. That record stood for 36 years until fellow West Indian Brian Lara surpassed it.

His versatility produced another iconic feat in 1968 while captaining Nottinghamshire in English county cricket, when he became the first batter to hit six sixes in a single over in first-class cricket....