Australian cricketing legend Shane Warne is to be given a state funeral after the shock death of the 52-year-old in Thailand late last week.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced on Twitter that after talking with the family of Shane Warne, they agreed to have a state funeral.
“I’ve spoken with the Warne family again today and they have accepted my offer of a State Funeral to remember Shane,” he said.
“It will be an opportunity for Victorians to pay tribute to his contribution to his sport, to our state and the country,”
“Details will be finalized in coming days.”
Warne was on holiday with his friends on the island of Ko Samui when he died after a suspected heart attack last Friday. His body was transported to mainland Thailand where doctors are currently undergoing an autopsy to confirm the cause of death.
It is reported that in the days prior to his death he complained of chest pains and excessive sweating and had gone to a doctor about these issues. Thai officials have not treated his death as suspicious and it has now been revealed that his friends performed CPR on him before paramedics arrived after noticing that he had stayed in his room than longer intended.
Tributes have been pouring in from around the world for the King of Spin with famous cricketers Michael Clarke, Virat Kohli and Joe Root sending their condolences. Warne’s former fiancé Elizabeth Hurley also commented on the tragedy by saying “I feel like the sun has gone behind a cloud forever. RIP my beloved Lionheart”.
Fans all over Australia have honoured the cricket great by placing flowers, cricket balls and bats as well as cans of VB and packets of cigarettes outside the MCG and various other cricketing grounds where the world’s best leg spinner played. Among Warne’s lustrous career were plenty of records with the spinner been the first bowler to reach 700 test wickets, claim the most Ashes wickets as well as getting the most runs in a career without a single century.
A venue for the funeral is not yet known but many people are speculating that the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) could be the host.
