Why Are India And England Players Wearing Black Armbands In 3rd ODI At Lord's?

Players from the Indian and England men’s cricket teams are wearing black armbands in the third ODI at the Lord’s Cricket Ground to mourn the passing of the legendary Garfield Sobers. Both teams also observed a moment of silence ahead of the match, where the ground host read out a long list of Sobers’ achievements.

The West Indies’ former all-rounder passed away at his Barbados home at 89 years of age on Friday (July 17). Sobers represented the West Indies between 1954 and 1974, redefining the role of an all-rounder over a remarkable 93-Test career. Equally devastating with bat and ball, he was also one of the finest fielders of his era, leaving a legacy that few cricketers have matched.

A pioneer in every sense, Sobers could bowl left-arm fast-medium,

orthodox spin and wrist spin with equal effectiveness. With the bat, Sobers amassed 8,032 Test runs at an average of 57.78, including 26 centuries and 30 half-centuries. His unbeaten 365 against Pakistan in 1958 was then the highest individual score in Test cricket, a world record that stood for 36 years.

His brilliance extended to bowling and fielding as well. Sobers claimed 235 Test wickets at an average of 34.03, often switching styles to suit different conditions, while his safe hands earned him 109 catches. He captained the West Indies in 39 Tests and was knighted in 1975 for his services to cricket.

He had a long association with England, making his debut against them in 1954 at the age of 17, and concluded with his final Test in 1974. In county cricket, Sobers starred for Nottinghamshire from 1968 to 1974. He famously became the first batsman to hit six sixes in a single over, achieving the historic feat for Notts against Glamorgan’s Malcolm Nash in 1968.

Sobers’ Test legacy against India is equally stories. In 18 matches, he amassed 1,920 runs at an incredible average of 83.47, featuring seven centuries, a high score of 198, and 23 wickets. Furthermore, his first-class debut at age 16 was against a touring Indian side, yielding seven impressive wickets.