Roston Chase dedicates historic Test win over Pakistan to Sir Garry Sobers

The West Indies' 90-run victory, the first Test win at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, came on what would have been Sobers' 90th birthday.

By SKN Daily StaffTuesday, 4 August 20261 min read

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados. West Indies captain Roston Chase has dedicated his team's Test victory over Pakistan to the late Sir Garfield Sobers, whose 90th birthday would have been last Tuesday.

The West Indies won by 90 runs on the fourth day, the first Test victory at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.

Sobers, widely regarded as the greatest cricketer the game has produced, died on July 17.

"The passing of a legend, the great Sir Garfield Sobers, coming and beating the Pakistanis in four days, especially on his birthday as well, it's a good send-off to him," Chase told reporters.

He said it would be "a great privilege and an honour" to attend the funeral.

Players fly home for funeral

After the press conference, Chase joined white-ball captain Shai Hope and fellow Barbadians Justin Greaves, Joshua Bishop and Jomel Warrican on a flight arranged by the Government of Barbados to attend the funeral.

They were part of a Cricket West Indies delegation that included president Dr Kishore Shallow, chief executive Chris Dehring and directors Enoch Lewis, Bissoondyal Singh and Clement Marcellin, the presidents of the Leeward Islands, Guyana and Windward Islands cricket boards.

State funeral at Kensington Oval

Sobers was laid to rest after a state funeral at Kensington Oval on Wednesday, where thousands of local, regional and international mourners, including Britain's King Charles, paid tribute.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley noted the symbolism of the 90-run victory, which came a day before the burial and allowed some players to attend.

"Sir Garry, this is your final walk from Kensington Oval. This will be our country's last opportunity to give you that which you became so accustomed to, a standing ovation," Mottley said.

"We thank you for teaching us that greatness could wear humility, that excellence could still belong to ordinary people, that the dreams of a little boy from the Bay-land could become the inheritance of an entire nation," she said of the National Hero.