Legendary Australian cricketer Shane Warne has died at the age of 52.
Warne died of a suspected heart attack while in Koh Samui, Thailand.
In a statement, his management team said: “Shane was found unresponsive in his villa and despite the best efforts of medical staff, he could not be revived.”
“The family requests privacy at this time and will provide further details in due course.”
Warne retired from international cricket in 2007, after a stellar career where he took 708 Test wickets in 145 matches.
He won the 1999 50-over World Cup and claimed 293 dismissals in 194 one-day internationals between 1993 and 2004.
Warne retired from international cricket in 2007 and he continued to play franchise Twenty20 cricket until 2013.
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Cannot believe it.
One of the greatest spinners, the man who made spin cool, superstar Shane Warne is no more.
Life is very fragile, but this is very difficult to fathom. My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and fans all around the world. pic.twitter.com/f7FUzZBaYX
After retiring, the spinner worked as a cricket commentator and in various coaching roles, including with the London Spirit in the inaugural edition of The Hundred in 2021.
‘The man who made spin cool’
Tributes poured in for Warne from the cricketing world and beyond.
Virender Sehwag, the former Indian batsman, said Warne was “one of the greatest spinners, the man who made spin cool”.
Unbelievable. I am shocked to the core. This can't be true…
Rest In Peace, @ShaneWarne. There are no words to describe what I feel right now. A huge loss for cricket. pic.twitter.com/uZdEdNz0x9
Sir Vivian Richards wrote on Twitter: “I am shocked to the core. This can’t be true. Rest In Peace @ShaneWarne. There are no words to describe what I feel right now.
“A huge loss for cricket.”
In a video posted on Twitter, former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar said Warne was “one of the best human beings I ever came across”.
Warne made his Test debut in 1993 against India in Sydney, despite playing only seven first-class games.
The match ended in a draw, with Warne posted figures of 1/150.
It wasn’t until the following year’s Ashes series that Warne announced himself on the Test scene.
With the first ball of the series, Warne clean bowled Mike Gatting with a delivery that became known as the “Ball of the Century”.
He finished the series with 34 wickets and took 73 wickets in 1993, a record for a spin bowler.
In 1994, he took 10 wickets for the first time in his career against South Africa at the Sydney Cricket Ground and took his only Test hat-trick in 1994-95 against England in the Ashes.