New Delhi: 'King of Spin' Shane Warne's body has returned home to Australia's Melbourne after six days of his sudden tragic death from a heart attack. Warne's body was brought from Thailand to Melbourne in a private jet. According to several Australian media reports, the late Australian legend arrived at Essendon North Airport in Melbourne. His coffin was draped in the Australian national flag.
The late 52-year-old legendary leg-spinner had passed away due to a heart attack at Thailand's Koh Samui island. An Autopsy report earlier this week had confirmed that Warne had died of natural causes following a heart attack.
Warne, a World Cup champion in 1999, was regarded as one of the game's top spinners. The cricketing fraternity lamented the loss of a great icon of the game.
In a fitting farewell to the ex-Aussie cricketer, his last rites will be performed with state honours at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on the evening of March 30, the Victorian state government was quoted as saying by AFP on Wednesday. Around one lakh people are expected to gather for the state funeral.
It was at the iconic MCG in 1994 when Shane Warne had picked a hat-trick in the Boxing Day Test against England. MCG is also the stadium where the legend picked up his 700th Test wicket. As per several media reports, a public condolence meeting will be held after Warne's state funeral.