West Indies players fly home for Sir Garry Sobers' state funeral after Pakistan win
Synopsis
Hours after beating Pakistan by 90 runs on what would have been Sir Garfield Sobers' 90th birthday, West Indies players flew home to Barbados for his state funeral — a collision of triumph and mourning that underscored just how deeply Sobers' legacy runs through Caribbean cricket.
Key Takeaways
West Indies players including captain Roston Chase and Shai Hope are returning to Barbados for Sir Garfield Sobers' state funeral at Kensington Oval .
The team beat Pakistan by 90 runs at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba — on what would have been Sobers' 90th birthday .
The Barbados government facilitated the travel; Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley was thanked by CWI President Dr.
Sobers passed away on 17 July at age 89 ; his body lay in state at Parliament Buildings before being moved to the stadium.
The funeral will be attended by CARICOM leaders and cricket legends including Sir Vivian Richards , Sir Clive Lloyd , and Brian Lara .
Barbados-based members of the West Indies Test squad, including captain Roston Chase and white-ball skipper Shai Hope, are flying back to Bridgetown to attend the state funeral of legendary all-rounder Sir Garfield Sobers on Wednesday at the Kensington Oval. The contingent departs just hours after the West Indies registered a dramatic 90-run victory over Pakistan at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba — a win that fell on what would have been Sobers' 90th birthday.
Who Is Travelling
The Barbados-based delegation, facilitated by the Barbados government, includes vice-captain Jomel Warrican, Justin Greaves, Kemar Roach, Joshua Bishop, and assistant coach Floyd Reifer. They will be joined by a senior Cricket West Indies (CWI) delegation led by President Dr. Kishore Shallow and CEO Chris Dehring.
CWI directors Enoch Lewis (President, Leeward Islands Cricket Board), Bissoondyal Singh (President, Guyana Cricket Board), and Clement Marcellin (President, Windward Islands Cricket Board) will also attend.
What the CWI President Said
'The opportunity for our Barbadian representatives to be present at the State Funeral of The Right Excellent Sir Garfield Sobers is a deeply meaningful one for West Indies cricket. On a day when the cricketing world celebrated his extraordinary life, the team honoured his enduring legacy with a performance that reflected the courage, resilience, and skill that defined his remarkable career and inspired generations,' said Dr. Shallow in a statement.
He also expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley and her government for enabling the travel, adding: 'We reaffirm our commitment to preserving the memory of a true icon whose name will forever be synonymous with the greatness of West Indies cricket.'
The Funeral and Its Significance
Sir Garfield Sobers, widely regarded as cricket's greatest all-rounder, passed away on 17 July at his home in Highgate Gardens at the age of 89. His state funeral is scheduled for 10:00 am local time at the Kensington Oval in Barbados. The ceremony is expected to bring together regional heads of state, CARICOM leaders, and West Indies greats including Sir Clive Lloyd, Sir Vivian Richards, Sir Andy Roberts, Sir Richie Richardson, and Brian Lara.
Two days before the funeral, Sobers' body lay in state at the Parliament Buildings before being moved to the stadium, allowing thousands of mourners to pay their final respects.
A Victory Wrapped in Tribute
The timing of the 90-run win over Pakistan — on Sobers' 90th birth anniversary — was not lost on the cricketing world. The result, achieved at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad, was widely seen as a fitting tribute to a man who set the standard for West Indies excellence. This is the kind of convergence of sport and history that rarely occurs, and it lends the funeral proceedings an added layer of poignancy for the entire Caribbean region.
Point of View
And state funerals, however moving, also serve as uncomfortable mirrors. The question the region's cricket administrators must sit with is whether the reverence for Sobers translates into the structural investment — in pitches, academies, and domestic contracts — that his legacy actually demands.
NationPress
29 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where is Sir Garfield Sobers' state funeral being held?
Sir Garfield Sobers' state funeral is being held on Wednesday at the Kensington Oval in Barbados, beginning at 10:00 am local time. His body previously lay in state at the Parliament Buildings, allowing the public to pay their respects.
Which West Indies players are attending the funeral?
Captain Roston Chase, white-ball skipper Shai Hope, vice-captain Jomel Warrican, Justin Greaves, Kemar Roach, Joshua Bishop, and assistant coach Floyd Reifer are attending, along with a CWI delegation led by President Dr. Kishore Shallow and CEO Chris Dehring.
How did West Indies perform against Pakistan before the funeral?
West Indies defeated Pakistan by 90 runs at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad — a result that coincided with what would have been Sir Garfield Sobers' 90th birthday on 29 July.
When did Sir Garfield Sobers pass away?
Sir Garfield Sobers passed away on 17 July at his home in Highgate Gardens, Barbados, at the age of 89. He is widely regarded as cricket's greatest all-rounder.
Who else is expected at the state funeral?
The funeral is expected to be attended by regional heads of state, CARICOM leaders, and West Indies cricket legends including Sir Clive Lloyd, Sir Vivian Richards, Sir Andy Roberts, Sir Richie Richardson, and Brian Lara.
