Shane Warne dies at 52: Australian cricket legend suffers suspected heart attack

Cricketer passed away in Thailand

Australian cricketer Shane Warne has died. He was 52. Getty Images

Shane Warne working as a TV pundit during a test match between Australia and Pakistan at The Gabba in Brisbane, Australia, in 2019. Getty Images

Shane Warne and Elizabeth Hurley before Shane Warne's Australia took on Michael Vaughan's England in a T20 match at Cirencester Cricket Club in 2013. Getty Images

Australia's Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting and Shane Warne celebrate with the Ashes trophy in 2007. Action Images

Australian captain Steve Waugh and vice captain Shane Warne during a ticker-tape parade through Melbourne, in celebration of the Australian cricket team's victory over Pakistan in the 1999 Cricket World Cup Final. Getty Images

Mark Waugh, Steve Waugh and Shane Warne of Australia after victory over Pakistan in the Cricket World Cup Final at Lord's in London in 1999. Getty Images

Shane Warne celebrates a Pakistan wicket in the Cricket World Cup Final at Lord's in London in 1999. Getty Images

Shane Warne celebrates by dancing with a stump on the dressing room balcony after victory over England in the Fifth Ashes test match at Trent Bridge in 1997. Getty Images

Shane Warne bowls to Graham Thorpe of England during the third test at Old Trafford in Manchester in 1997. Getty Images

Shane Warne and Brian Lara of the West Indies in Australia in 1995. Getty Images

Shane Warne after recording a career best 8 for 71 in the first Ashes test against England at the Brisbane Cricket Ground in Woolloongabba, in 1994. Getty Images

Warne in action against Somerset in 1993. Getty Images

Shane Warne in 1990. Getty Images

Australian cricketer Shane Warne has died aged 52, his management company MPC Entertainment announced.

A brief statement said that the former player, one of the finest bowlers of all time, passed away in Thailand from a suspected heart attack.

Warne was a larger-than-life character whose 708 Test wickets has been surpassed only by contemporary rival and fellow spinner Muttiah Muralitharan.

“Shane was found unresponsive in his villa and despite the best efforts of medical staff, he could not be revived,” MPC said.

“The family requests privacy at this time and will provide further details in due course."

Warne is regarded as one of the finest leg-spin bowlers of all time after a career in which he took 708 test wickets in a test career that spanned the years from 1992 to 2007.

He delivered what was described as the "ball of the century" during his first Ashes tour to England in 1993, bowling veteran Mike Gatting with an extraordinary delivery.

He was named as one of the Wisden cricketers on the year in 1994. He was briefly banned from cricket in 2003 for taking a prohibited substance.

He later played in the Indian Premier League and other Twenty20 competitions before retiring from all international cricket in 2013 but continued to be involved in the game as a broadcaster.

Earlier today, he tweeted his respects after the death of another Australian cricket great, Rod Marsh, was announced.

Australia opener David Warner tweeted: "Two legends of our game have left us too soon. I'm lost for words, and this is extremely sad. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Marsh and Warne family. I just can not believe it. #rip, you will both be missed"

Marsh on Friday was remembered as “a colossal figure” in Australian cricket who gave close to 50 years' service to the sport. Tributes poured in after he died aged 74.

Warne’s former team-mate Adam Gilchrist tweeted: “Numb. The highlight of my cricketing career was to keep wicket to Warnie. Best seat in the house to watch the maestro at work.

“Have often felt a tad selfish, that Heals and I pretty much exclusively are the only ones who had that thrill and pleasure at Test level. Rip Warnie.”

West Indies cricket great Sir Vivian Richards tweeted about Warne: "There are no words to describe what I feel right now. A huge loss for cricket."

Ahmed Raza, the captain of the UAE cricket team, was one of the first to pay tribute. He tweeted "Life is so unpredictable" and described Warne as an "absolute superstar".

Indian test cricketer Shikhar Darwan said it was an incredible loss to cricket. He wrote "Thank you for everything you’ve done for the sport."