‘He would have been 90 today and we won by 90 runs’: West Indies dedicate Test win to Garry Sobers
West Indies Test captain Ruston Chase dedicated his side’s remarkable 90-run victory against Pakistan in the first Test to Sir Garfield Sobers.
Image: West Indies players celebrate wickets during the first Test against Pakistan. Photo: Windies Cricket/X
Key points
- West Indies registered a 90-run win over Pakistan in the first Test, taking a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
- Captain Ruston Chase dedicated the win to Sir Garfield Sobers, noting the coincidence of the 90-run margin and Sobers’ possible 90th birthday.
- Sir Garfield Sobers, who passed away on 17 July 2026, was a legendary West Indies all-rounder, known for his batting, bowling and fielding prowess.
- Jayden Seals was instrumental in the win, taking five wickets as Pakistan were bowled out for 120 chasing 211.
The West Indies defeated Pakistan by 90 runs in the first Test to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series in Trinidad on Tuesday. The Victory was dedicated to Gary Sobers on his 90th birthday, on July 28, 2026.
Remember the legend
Sobers, who passed away on 17 July 2026, represented the West Indies in 93 Test matches between 1954 and 1974, scoring 8,032 runs at an average of 57.78, including 26 centuries, while also taking 235 wickets.
He has won universal acclaim for his all-round abilities as a left-handed batsman, a versatile left-arm spinner and a spinner.
Among his greatest achievements was his unbeaten 365 against Pakistan in 1958, then the highest individual score in Test cricket, a record that stood for 36 years.
Chase’s dedication
Speaking in a video shared by Cricket West Indies, Chase said the cricket icon remained an inspiration to everyone in the West Indies dressing room and hoped the cricketing great would be proud of the team’s performance.
“On behalf of the West Indies senior men’s cricket team, we would like to dedicate this victory to the late, great Sir Garfield Sobers. He is a legend of the game, a hero to everyone in this dressing room. He has done it all on the cricket field and is so iconic that he would have turned 90 today and we won by 90 runs, so it was destined for him,” Chase said.
The West Indies captain said the team discussed making the win special for the Sobers and hoped the legendary cricketer would “smile” at them.
Chase added: “We had a conversation about trying to make him feel special in his grave, and I hope he’s smiling at us now. So, Sir Garfield Sobers, I want to say thank you for everything you’ve done for West Indies cricket. We’ve tried to make you proud. We hope you’re happy and we hope you rest in peace.”
Match details and series predictions
Jayden Sales took five wickets as the hosts bowled out Pakistan for 120 while chasing 211. Pakistan suffered their eighth successive away defeat in the Test, while the West Indies took an unassailable lead in the series.
Babar Azam scored a half-century but ran out of partners, while the injured Shan Masood suffered a broken finger.
The second Test between West Indies and Pakistan begins in Port of Spain on August 2.
