Antigua, July 29: The West Indies Test team players from Barbados will return home to attend the state funeral of the late great all-rounder Sir Garfield Sobers. The funeral will take place on Wednesday at Kensington Oval.
With the support of the Barbados government, the team is returning to Bridgetown just hours after securing a remarkable 90-run victory over Pakistan at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba. West Indies captain Roston Chase and limited-overs captain Shai Hope will be among those attending Sobers’ funeral.
In addition to Chase and Hope, vice-captain Jomel Warrican, Justin Greaves, Kemar Roach, Joshua Bishop, and assistant coach Floyd Reifer will also be present. A high-level delegation from Cricket West Indies (CWI), led by Chairman Dr. Kishore Shallow and CEO Chris Dearing, will accompany them.
Dr. Shallow stated, “The opportunity for our representatives from Barbados to attend the state funeral of ‘The Right Excellent Sir Garfield Sobers’ holds great significance for West Indies cricket. On the day the cricketing world celebrates his extraordinary life, the team pays tribute to his memorable contributions that showcased courage and skill, inspiring generations.”
He added, “We are very grateful to Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley and her government for making this possible. We reaffirm our commitment to cherishing the memories of a true icon, whose name will forever be synonymous with the greatness of West Indies cricket.”
CWI Director Enoch Lewis (President of the Leeward Islands Cricket Board), Bissoondyal Singh (President of the Guyana Cricket Board), and Clement Marcelin (President of the Windward Islands Cricket Board) will also attend Sobers’ funeral.
Considered one of cricket’s greatest all-rounders, Sobers passed away on July 17 at the age of 89 at his home in Highgate Gardens. His funeral will be held with state honors at 10:00 AM local time at Kensington. Prominent leaders and legendary West Indies players, including Sir Clive Lloyd, Sir Vivian Richards, Sir Andy Roberts, Sir Richie Richardson, and Brian Lara, are expected to attend. Two days prior to the funeral, Sobers’ body was laid in state at the Parliament House before being taken to the stadium.
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