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Sir Garfield Sobers, widely regarded as one of the greatest all-rounders in cricket history, has passed away at the age of 89.
The West Indies legend, celebrated for his extraordinary ability with the bat, ball and in the field, leaves behind a legacy that shaped modern cricket. His death has cast a pall of grief over the cricketing world.
Sobers is widely acknowledged as one of the finest all-rounders the game has ever produced. Former Australia captain and legendary commentator Richie Benaud once described him as the greatest all-rounder in cricket history.
Born in Barbados in 1936, Sobers made his first-class debut at just 16 years of age. After beginning his first-class career for Barbados in 1953, he quickly earned a place in the West Indies team and made his Test debut in 1954.
In 1958, Sobers etched his name into the record books by scoring an unbeaten 365 against Pakistan in the Kingston Test, setting a new world record for the highest individual Test score. The record stood for nearly 36 years before it was broken by fellow West Indies great Brian Lara.
Sobers added another historic milestone in 1968 when he became the first cricketer to hit six sixes in an over in first-class cricket. The feat came while playing for Nottinghamshire against Glamorgan at Swansea and remains one of cricket’s most iconic achievements.
During his illustrious international career, Sobers played 93 Tests for the West Indies, scoring 8,032 runs at an average of 57.78 and taking 235 wickets.
His first-class record was equally remarkable. In 383 matches, he amassed more than 28,000 runs and claimed over 1,000 wickets, underlining his status as one of the game’s most complete cricketers.
Sobers retired from international cricket in 1974 at the age of 38. In recognition of his outstanding contribution to the sport, he was knighted by the British Crown in 1975, after which he became known worldwide as Sir Garfield Sobers.
His passing marks the end of an era for world cricket. Renowned for his brilliance in batting, bowling and fielding, Sir Garfield Sobers’ legacy will continue to inspire generations of cricketers around the world.