West Indies legend Sir Garfield Sobers passes away

New Delhi ( Raghwendra Pratap Singh) : West Indies legend Sir Garfield Sobers One of the all-time greats that graced the game has passed away at the age of 89. He represented the country from 1954 to 1974 in the international arena.

Sobers, one of the greatest all-rounders to have played the game, scored 8032 at a staggering average of 57.78 while also snapping 235 wickets in Tests at an average of 34.03. He began his career in 1954 against England in Kingston, Jamaica, scoring 40 runs across two innings and picking four wickets.

The very first of Sobers' 26 hundreds was a then-world record 365* against Pakistan, an innings during which he overtook Len Hutton's 364. Several years later, Sobers was present when his fellow West Indian Brian Lara broke his record against England in 1994 in Antigua.Sobers also scored 30 half-centuries and took six five-wicket hauls in Test cricket.

Sobers was also a member of the famous Frank Worrell touring party to Australia in 1960/61, featuring in an enthralling five-Test series that was won by the hosts 2-1.The first Test of the series in Brisbane was the first-ever tied Test in the history of the game, with Sobers setting up his team with a brilliant 132 in the first innings. He ended the series with 430 runs and 15 wickets.

Sobers' most iconic feat in the game came in first-class cricket, when he turned out for Nottinghamshire against Glamorgan in the County Championship in 1968. The left-hand batter was the first cricketer to hit six sixes in an over, with Malcolm Nash the unfortunate bowler. In 2009, Sobers was inducted as an inaugural member of the ICC Hall of Fame.Since 2004, the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy is awarded annually, honouring the Men's Cricketer of the Year. The award recognises the most outstanding performer in men’s international cricket.

Mr. Jay Shah, ICC Chairman, said: "Today, the cricket world has lost one of its greatest icons. Sir Garfield Sobers was not only the finest all-rounder the game has ever known, but one of the greatest cricketers in history. "On behalf of the International Cricket Council, I extend our deepest condolences to Sir Garfield's family, friends, Cricket West Indies and cricket fans around the world. He will be remembered with immense admiration and gratitude, and his legacy will continue to inspire generations to come."