Legendary Australian bowler Shane Warne passed away due to a suspected heart attack on Friday, March 4. The spinner was 52 years old.

Warne, who claimed over 1000 international wickets in a highly successful career, was found unresponsive in his villa at Koh Samui in Thailand.

“It is with great sadness we advise that Shane Keith Warne passed away of a suspected heart attack in Koh Samui, Thailand today, Friday 4 March,” read an official statement from Warne’s management company MPC Entertainment.

“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,” it added.

Arguably the greatest leg-spinner that has ever played in the sport, Shane Warne made his debut for the Australian cricket team in a Test against India in January 1992.

Warne bagged his maiden Test wicket in that very Test, with former India all-rounder and head coach Ravi Shastri his victim.

The flamboyant spinner, second on the list of most wickets in Test cricket,  bagged 708 wickets in 145 Test matches and is the most successful Ashes bowler of all time.

Shane Warne was also revered for claiming the most Test wickets in a calendar year. 

Warne’s passing comes less than 24 hours after legendary Australian cricketer Rod Marsh also succumbed to a heart attack at the age of 74. Warne, in fact, had taken to Twitter to express his condolences at Marsh’s death.

In his 15-year international career, Shane Warne took 708 Test wickets and 293 ODI scalps. Player of the Match in the 1999 World Cup final triumph for Australia, the legendary spinner was also the first winner of the Indian T20 League as he captained Rajasthan to the inaugural trophy.

Featured photo: AFP / WILLIAM WEST

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