ISLAMABAD: The death of Shane Warne has shocked millions of fans, with cricket stars, politicians, sports analysts and commentators mourning the legend Australian player.
The legendary leg-spinner was found dead on Friday after a suspected heart attack in Koh Samui, Thailand, where he had gone with friends on a holiday. Warne’s manager said he was found unresponsive in his villa.
Warne, 52, considered one of the all-time greats of the game, was an integral part of the Australian cricket team that decimated opposition around the world in the late 1990s and 2000s.
In a career spanning 15 years, he took 708 Test wickets for Australia and was also a member of the 1999 World Cup-winning squad under Steve Waugh.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan said Warne was a bowling genius “who took the art of leg-spin to new heights.”
Here are a few reactions from the cricket fraternity:
Pakistan’s all-format captain Babar Azam paid a tribute to Warne by saying that he inspired generations by his “magical leg spin.”
Pakistani pacer Shaheen Afridi shared his grief, saying Warne would be missed by many around the world.
Former England cricketer and commentator Isa Guha said the late Australian cricket great “made people feel taller… ten feet taller. He was magic.”
Former Indian skipper Virat Kohli expressed sorrow over Warne’s passing, saying it was “totally unexpected, he went far too early.”
Former Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq said the cricket fraternity had lost a legend.
Former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar referred to Warne’s passing as “devastating news,” saying that the late spinner was a great cricketer. “Australia lost a lot of things just because Warne was never captain,” he added.
Australian Test captain Pat Cummins described Warne as a “once-in-a-century cricketer.”
“His achievements will stand for all time, but apart from the wickets he took and the games he helped Australia win, what he did was draw so many people to the sport,” he said.
