- In full:
- Sir Garfield St. Aubrun Sobers
- Byname:
- Garry Sobers
- Born:
- July 28, 1936, Bridgetown, Barbados
- Died:
- July 17, 2026, St. Michael, Barbados (aged 89)
Garfield Sobers
Garfield Sobers (born July 28, 1936, Bridgetown, Barbados—died July 17, 2026, St. Michael, Barbados) was a West Indian cricketer, considered by many authorities the most gifted all-around player of the game. As a batter, he established a record for the highest Test (match lasting five days) individual score by making 365 runs not out in a single innings during a 1957–58 season match against Pakistan, a record that stood until 1994. He was an exceptional bowler who could bowl in every conceivable style, from medium pace to left arm spin. He was also a brilliant fielder at any position but particularly adept at close-to-the-wicket fielding.
Early life and career
Sobers was educated at Bay St. School, Barbados, and became a left-hand batter and a left-arm bowler in cricket. He entered first-class cricket at age 16 and bowled for the West Indies team against England during the 1953–54 season. His team defeated Australia and then, in 1966, beat England three matches to one. His Test career lasted 20 years, and he captained the West Indies 39 times. He also captained the Nottinghamshire English county team (1968–74). He became the first batter in cricket history to hit every ball of an over for six runs (when a batter hits a shot to make the ball cross the boundary without bouncing). Sobers achieved the feat against Welsh bowler Malcolm Nash on August 31, 1968, during a first-class cricket match for Nottinghamshire against Glamorgan at St Helen’s, Swansea, Wales.
Post-retirement
He retired in 1974 and was knighted in 1975. His tally of 8,032 runs in Test matches (1953–74) set a record at the time, and he scored 26 centuries (100 runs in a single innings). He was named one of Wisden’s five cricketers of the century in 2000. Sobers wrote several books on cricket, including a novel, Bonaventure and the Flashing Blade (1967), and, with J.S. Barker, a history of cricket in the West Indies (1967). He passed away, aged 89, on July 17, 2026.
