Shane Warne, a former Australian cricketer and spin bowling icon, died on Friday at the age of 52 after a “suspected heart attack,” according to a statement released by his management firm.
Shane Warne, a former Australian cricketer and spin bowling icon, died on Friday at the age of 52 after a “suspected heart attack,” according to a statement released by his management firm. According to a Fox Sports report, Warne’s management issued a brief statement in the early hours of Saturday (AEDT) stating that he died of a suspected heart attack in Koh Samui, Thailand. “Despite the best efforts of medical professionals, Shane was found lifeless in his villa and could not be resuscitate,” said part of the statement. The statement said, “The family begs privacy at this time and will share additional details in due course.”
With 708 wickets, Shane Warne was the second-best wicket taker in Test cricket history, after Muttiah Muralitharan.
Warne appeared in 194 One-Day Internationals for Australia, taking 293 wickets. The right-hander was also a capable batsman, scoring 3,154 runs in Test cricket. In 50-overs cricket, he scored 1,018 runs.
The leg-spinner amassed a total of 1001 wickets, making him the first bowler to reach the 1,000-wicket mark in international cricket.
Warne was named one of Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Century for his unprecedented performances across a 15-year career between 1992 and 2007. He made his Test debut against India at the legendary Sydney Cricket Ground.
He was honoured into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2013.
He helped Australia win the World Cup in 1999 and has taken more Ashes wickets than any other bowler, with a total of 195.
After retiring from international cricket, Shane Warne added to his fame by serving as captain and coach of the IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals, which won the inaugural season of the tournament.
Warne was a colourful figure on and off the field who also achieved popularity as a pundit and was regarded as one of the game’s sharpest analysts.
Warne’s final tweet from his account was on Friday, when he expressed his condolences for the loss of former Australia batsman Rodney Marsh.
In 2007, Warne announced his retirement from international cricket.
