Australian spin sensation Shane Warne passed away on Friday from a suspected heart attack in Thailand. Warne, who was one of the finest spinners of all-time, picked 708 wickets in Test cricket.
The spin wizard made his Test debut in 1992 against India and ended his illustrious career in 2007.
Even after his retirement, Warne continued the dominance in T20 leagues, starting with the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008. In the inaugural season of the cash-rich league, the Victorian led the Rajasthan Royals (RR) side to the IPL title, defeating tournament favourites Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
After the tragic news of Warne’s death, the Royals franchise shared a heartfelt note to pay tribute to the ‘King of Spin’.
“Shane Warne. The name stands for magic. Our first Royal; a man who made us believe that impossible is just a myth. A leader who walked the walk talked the talk and turned underdogs into champions. A mentor who turned everything he touched into gold,” Royals wrote in a heartwarming note.
“We don’t have the words to express what we truly feel at the moment, but what we know is that the world is poorer today, as it will now exist without his smile, his brilliance, and his attitude to live life to its fullest. We’re completely heartbroken, as are millions of cricket fans all around the world.”
“Warnie, you’re forever going to be our captain, leader, Royal. Rest in peace, legend,” the note added further.
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) March 4, 2022
Warne played 55 matches in IPL and picked up 57 wickets at an average of 25.39, with 4/21 being his best. He also scored 198 runs with the bat at a strike rate of 90+ , hitting 14 fours and 6 sixes.
