The world is mourning former Australian cricketer Shane Warne, after he was found unresponsive in his villa in Thailand.
Shane Warne, or “Warnie” as he was affectionately known, has died of a suspected heart attack, aged 52.
“Shane was found unresponsive in his villa and despite the best efforts of medical staff, he could not be revived,” Warne’s management said as reported by Fox Sports.
“The family requests privacy at this time and will provide further details in due course.”
Warne is regarded as one of the greatest cricketers of all time, bowling leg-spin for Australia between 1992 and 2007.
Shane Warne, one of the greatest cricket players of all time, and a larger-than-life figure on and off the field, died Friday in Thailand. He was 52. https://t.co/YI69MS2WGz pic.twitter.com/PoWaJzaGHm
— The New York Times (@nytimes) March 4, 2022
Warnie took more than 700 test wickets and is the only cricketer to score more than 3,000 test runs without ever reaching a century.
He holds the record for the most test wickets taken by an Australian, and sits second on the same list internationally.
Warne famously bowled the “ball of the century” during the first Ashes test of 1993, leaving English batsman Mike Gatting with no chance of defending his stumps.
There will never be anyone like Shane Warne pic.twitter.com/O38WuowKID
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) March 4, 2022
Since retiring from international cricket in 2007, Warne has appeared as a regular member of Fox Sports‘ commentary team and has spent time helping “seriously ill and underprivileged children and teenagers” through his charity, the Shane Warne Foundation.
Warne was honoured as one of the five ‘Wisden Cricketers of the Century’ in the elite company of Sir Donald Bradman, Sir Garfield Sobers, Sir Jack Hobbs, and Sir Vivian Richards.
Then in 2013, he was also inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.
Rest in peace, Shane Warne.
