World mourns Shane Warne, dead at 52

The death of Australian cricket legend Shane Warne from a suspected heart attack in a luxury Thailand resort has stunned the sporting and wider world.

Former Australian crickter and commentator SHANE WARNE Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Friends of Shane Warne, who tried to revive the cricket legend, say he was sober and alone when he suffered a suspected fatal heart attack in a luxury Thailand resort.

Australian Foreign Affairs officials will soon arrive on the island of Koh Samui to offer support before an autopsy on the 52-year-old, who died early Saturday, Australian time.

Warne was staying at the five-star Samujana Villas resort with four friends when he was found unresponsive in a bedroom.

One friend, his business manager Andrew Neophitou, performed CPR for about 20 minutes in an unsuccessful attempt to revive the father-of-three.

An ambulance was called but medicos also couldn't revive Warne before he was taken to a Thai hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Thai Police said there are no suspicious circumstances.

"No foul play was suspected at the scene based on our investigation," Thai police said in a statement.

Warne's manager James Erskine said the famous cricketer was alone and sober, watching cricket, when he suffered the suspected heart attack.

Warne, who never took drugs, was just days into a planned three-month holiday from work, Erskine said.

"This was just the start of it and they'd only arrived the day or night before," Erskine told Fox Cricket.

Australian Foreign Affairs staffers have spoken to Warne's friends before repatriating the body of the sporting star, whose family has been offered a state funeral by the Victorian government.

Premier Daniel Andrews said the southern stand at the MCG will be renamed the S.K. Warne Stand.

Warne's cricketing fame transcended his sport, with tributes coming from music and Hollywood stars, and prime ministers and politicians from Australia, England and India.

Australia's team had just finished the opening day of play in the first Test in Pakistan when learning of Warne's death.

"We loved so much about Warnie," Test captain Pat Cummins said.

"His showmanship, his charisma, his tactics ... the game of cricket was never the same after Shane emerged and it will never be the same now he has gone."

Warne, named as one of the five cricketers of the 20th century by the sport's almanac Wisden, is Australia's leading Test wicket-taker with 708 scalps from his 145 Tests.

In all formats, the legspinner took 1001 international wickets, earning elevation to the International Cricket Council, Australian cricket and Australian sport halls of fame.

Esteemed foes-turned-friends and Australian teammates expressed their grief at the sudden passing of Warne, who was also renowned for his larger-than-life persona and off-field exploits.

"He lived more in his life than most people would live in 20," Australia's retired fast bowler Glenn McGrath said on social media.

Ex-Australian captain Mark Taylor said Warne "had a turbulent life but a very full life ... you just felt, I certainly did, he would go on forever."

India legend Sachin Tendulkar was among those to post tributes on social media, saying he was "shocked, stunned & miserable".

Sir Vivian Richards said he was "shocked to the core" and his fellow West Indian Brian Lara said: "We have lost one of the greatest sportsmen of all time!"

Celebrities who befriended Warne also told of their grief.

"I'm so saddened ... he brought such joy to the game and was the greatest spin bowler ever," Mick Jagger said.

Elton John said he was heartbroken, posting: "Shane was a magical bowler and such huge fun," while pop star Ed Sheeran wrote he was "absolutely gutted" at Warne's passing.

Australia's Oscar-winning actor/director Russell Crowe and Hollywood star Hugh Jackman were among others to laud Warne as a cricketer and a mate.

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