Prime Minister Godwin Friday, has paid tribute to Barbadian cricketing great Sir Garfield Sobers, labelling him as the best cricketer the world has ever seen.
During a sitting of Parliament on July 21, 2026, a minute’s silence was observed in honour of Sobers, who died on July 17, 2026, at the age of 89.
Friday said that when he heard the news of the passing of Sir Gary Sobers- who was not just a national hero of Barbados, but also a hero in cricketing circles worldwide- he was forced to pause and consider the moment.
“…for me, growing up as an ardent cricket fan, as one who felt that I could play the game like Sobers and Kanhai, he was the epitome of the game.”
The prime minister added that Sobers was in a bracket all by himself, and that the elegance he showed in his various matches revealed that he was not just making runs, but doing so with style and flair.
“I believe that it is that sense of style, not just making runs, but how you make runs, that came to characterize Caribbean cricket.”
Friday was among the hundreds of cricket lovers, former and current players, regional and other institutions, and people from other walks of life who have been expressing condolences on the passing of the Cricket all-rounder.
“I’ve read the tributes, and you would see the qualifications that arguably he is the best cricketer that the world has ever seen.”
While other cricketers can be compared with everyone else, Friday said that Sobers stands above them all, but remained humble.
He added that Sobers and the West Indies players from the 1960s to the 1980s did more than just play cricket; they shaped the region as a people in the Caribbean.
“To know that this part of the world, the game that I played as a boy, and the way in which you see players develop became the standard by which the entire world judged great performances in the sport, gave us so much pride…”.
