The cricket world is mourning the loss of West Indies legend Sir Garfield Sobers, who died on Friday at the age of 89.

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley announced his passing in a video message, paying tribute to the man widely regarded as the greatest all-round cricketer the game has ever produced.

“Sir Garfield is remembered as the greatest cricketer the world has ever seen. Not simply because of his records, but because of the standard by which greatness will forever be measured,” Mottley said.

She reflected on Sobers’ journey from humble beginnings in Barbados to becoming one of the sport’s most celebrated figures, noting that despite his global success, he remained humble throughout his life.

Tributes quickly poured in from across the Caribbean, including from Guyana President Dr Irfaan Ali, who described Sobers as “the game’s most glorious master.”

“A giant has fallen. And the cricketing firmament seems a little dimmer today,” Ali said.
Calling Sobers “the greatest all-rounder the game has ever known”, Ali said the Barbadian icon’s batting was “pure genius”, his close-in fielding “breathtaking”, and his bowling “a masterclass in cunning and control.”

Ali said Sobers’ impact stretched far beyond cricket, describing him as a symbol of West Indian pride during the region’s early years of independence.

“He carried the hopes of a region still finding its voice, and he roared with a style that was defiantly and beautifully ours,” the Guyanese leader said.
Born in Bridgetown, Sobers made his Test debut for the West Indies in 1954 at just 17 years old.

Over a distinguished international career that spanned two decades, he established himself as one of cricket’s finest all-rounders before captaining the regional side.

Sobers scored 8,032 Test runs at an average of 57.78, including 26 centuries, while also taking 235 wickets with his left-arm pace and spin. His remarkable versatility earned him admiration across generations of players and fans.

In 1958, he set a world record by scoring 365 not out against Pakistan, the highest individual Test score at the time.

The record stood for 36 years before it was broken by fellow West Indian Brian Lara in 1994.

A national hero in Barbados, Sobers’ influence extended far beyond the cricket field.

He inspired generations of Caribbean cricketers and helped establish the West Indies as a dominant force in world cricket.