West Indies legend Sir Garfield Sobers dies aged 89 - 'True icon of the game'
Published 17/07/2026 at 17:46 GMT+1
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Sir Garfield Sobers, the legendary all-rounder for the West Indies, has died aged 89, Cricket West Indies announced on Friday. Sobers is widely regarded as one of the greatest cricketers ever.
Sir Garfield Sobers in 2019.
Image credit: Getty Images
Sobers, who played 93 Tests for the West Indies between 1954 and 1974, is also seen by many observers as the greatest all-rounder to ever play.
"A great innings has come to an end. In our hearts, now and forever, Sir Garfield Sobers," Cricket West Indies wrote on X.
Born in Barbados in 1936, Sobers made his first-class debut at 16 and his Test debut a year later.
Aged just 21, he made his first Test hundred, finishing on 365 not out against Pakistan which was then the highest individual score in a Test innings, a record that stood for 36 years. He is still the youngest Test triple-centurion.
Sobers quickly became a revelation with his combination of left-handed batting and ability to bowl spin and seam.
He was named West Indies captain in 1965, before stepping down in 1972.
During that time, he also began playing for Nottinghamshire, which is where he made history with one of his most famous achievements.
In a match against Glamorgan in 1968, Sobers became the first player to hit six sixes in one over in first-class cricket, off the bowling of Malcolm Nash.
His first four sixes went out of the ground, but he was caught on the fifth. However, the fielder stepped on the boundary rope in taking the catch, so another six was awarded.
On the final ball, Sobers launched it over the terrace at St Helen's in Wales.
"And he's done it! He's done it! And my goodness, it's gone... way down to Swansea!" commentator Wilf Wooller said as Sobers hit his final six.
On his achievement, Sobers said: "Six sixes are not good cricket. It was an occasion where we were looking for quick runs. The idea was to try and get as many runs as possible.
"Records must not be the focus and that's the most important thing. It mustn't come at the cost of the team."
In 383 first-class matches, Sobers scored 28,314 runs and took more than 1,000 wickets.
For Nottinghamshire alone, Sobers scored 7,041 runs - including 18 centuries - and took 281 wickets at an average of 25.62.
In 1975, Sobers was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to cricket.
He was named Wisden's Cricketer of the Year in 1964 and named the publication's Cricketer of the Century in 2000.
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The International Cricket Council's (ICC) annual award for the best men's cricketer of the year was named after Sobers in 2004.
The ICC called Sobers "one of the greatest cricketers to have ever graced the game," while the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) described him as "true icon of the game."
The BCCI wrote on X: "His extraordinary achievements, lasting influence on Caribbean cricket and immeasurable contribution to the global game have left an enduring legacy that will continue to inspire generations.
"Our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and the global cricketing fraternity. May his soul rest in peace."
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