West Indies legendary all-rounder Sir Garry Sobers has passed away at the age of 89 in Barbados.
Cricket West Indies confirmed the news in a social media post.
“A great innings has come to an end. In our hearts, now and forever, Sir Garfield Sobers,” the caption of the post read.
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Sobers, who was the first cricketer to hit six sixes in an over, represented the West Indies in 93 Tests between 1954 and 1974. The left-handed batter amassed 8032 runs at an average of 57.78, including 26 centuries. Besides his batting, he was equally handy with the ball, claiming 235 wickets at an average of 34.03.
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At 16, Sobers made his first-class debut in 1952-52, followed by his West Indies debut against England in Jamaica. Initially, he was a bowler, but later developed into one of cricket’s greatest all-rounders.
In 1958, Sobers broke Len Hutton’s record for the highest individual Test score by smashing an unbeaten 365 against Pakistan. The record stood for 36 years before fellow West Indian Brian Lara broke it with 375 against England in 1994, with Sobers watching the historic innings from the stands.
After that record-breaking innings against Pakistan, Sobers became the first cricketer to hit six sixes in a single over in first-class cricket, achieving the feat against Glamorgan’s Malcolm Nash while playing for Nottinghamshire.
Overall, he made 28,314 runs in 383 first-class matches, notching up 86 centuries and 121 half-centuries, and claimed 1043 wickets.
Sobers also played 95 List A matches, but only played a single ODI against England in 1973. He was knighted for his services to cricket in 1975 and in 2000 was named one of Wisden Cricketers’ Almanac’s Five Cricketers of the Century alongside Sir Donald Bradman, Sir Jack Hobbs, Sir Viv Richards, and Shane Warne.
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