Former Australian international, Shane Warne was spotted unconscious in a villa on Thailand's Koh Samui Island on Friday. Warne's management later announced in a statement that he died of a suspected heart attack. The cricketing world was in disbelief when Shane Warne's death was announced. Warne's cricketing brain was unparalleled, and he is widely regarded as the best leg-spinner of all time. Let's take a look at some of Shane Warne's most impressive stats and achievements in cricket.

Overview of Shane Warne's International Cricket Career

Shane Warne made his international debut against India in 1992 during a home Test series. Warne represented Cricket Australia in 145 Tests and 194 One-Day Internationals from 1992 to 2007. Former Indian head coach, Ravi Shastri was his first international victim.

Warne gained worldwide attention when he astounded English number 3 batter Mike Gatting with a flawless leg-break delivery. This delivery was eventually dubbed the "Ball of the Century," and it will always be remembered as such. Shane took 34 wickets at an average of 25.79 in six Test matches during the Ashes 1993. With this outstanding performance during the series, Warne cemented his place in Australia's bowling lineup.

Read BAN vs AFG T20I Series 2022: Can Bangladesh Whitewash Afghanistan in Twenty20 Series?

Shane Warne was part of the Australian team that won two ICC One-Day International World Cups in 1999 and 2003. In 2000, he was named one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Century. He was inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 2012, and the International Cricket Council's Cricket Hall of Fame a year later.

Shane Warne was born with a natural talent to lead. He led the Australian One-Day International team 11 times but never captained the Australian Test team.

Shane Warne’s ODI Captaincy Record 

  Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/

Read 'White Lightning' appointed as Tigers' new fast bowling coach

International cricket career of Shane Warne

   Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/shane-warne-8166

Read Bangladesh announces squads for South Africa tour

Shane Warne: International Record in Numbers  

Shane Warne had an illustrious cricket career, especially in Test cricket. The achievement of Warne speaks for itself. Here are some of his best-known records in number.  

1001 – Shane Warne is only the second player in history to have taken over 1000 international wickets.

708 – Shane Warne has taken the second-most wickets in Test cricket.

293 – Shane Warne is Australia's third-highest wicket-taker in ODIs.

1 – Shane Warne had one hat-trick on the international stage.  

96 – The most wicket-takers by a bowler in a calendar year (2005) with 96.

17 – On the international level, Shane Warne had 17 player of the match honors.

37 – Shane Warne had 37 fifers in Test cricket.

195 – Shane Warne holds the record for the most Ashes wickets.

125 – Shane Warne is only the second player in Test cricket history to have 300 wickets and 100 catches. 

Read BAN vs AFG T20I Series 2022: Bangladesh Aim to Leapfrog Afghanistan in ICC Rankings

Five Great Moments of Shane Warne’s International Career

Picking the top five highlights of magician Shane Warne's career is difficult since he had so many. Here are Shane Warne's top five international performances.

Match Winning Spell against Sri Lanka (1992) 

Shane Warne only played two Tests before the 1992 series opener against Sri Lanka. The Australian team management did not have high hopes for him. However, the brilliant Warne emerged as a real hero in the fourth innings, defending only 181 runs. Sri Lanka was 126/2 at one point and on the verge of claiming a historic triumph. Australia, on the other hand, came back with some disciplined bowling. Shane took the last three Lankan wickets in his final 13 deliveries, helping Australia to a 16-run victory. It was an early indication that he will become a famous name one day.

Read ICC Test Championship: SA maintain fourth position after series draw against NZ

The Ball of the Century (1993)

The most prestigious rivalry in cricket is between Australia and England, especially in Test format. Players from these two sides expect to provide their finest performances during the Ashes. When Shane Warne was given the chance to play his maiden Ashes Test, he wasted no time proving his worth. In fact, he bowled the ball of the century in his first delivery, dismissing England's Mike Gatting with an amazing leg-break delivery. The ball was pitched outside leg, it made a sharp turn to beat the bat and clip the off-stump. Following his wicket loss, Gatting had no idea what had happened to him.

Hat-Trick against England (1995)

During the second match of the 1994 Ashes series, Shane Warne achieved his first and only hat-trick against England. In the first innings, England were dismissed for 212, with Warne completing his hat-trick by bowling Darren Gough, Phil DeFreitas, and Phil Tufnell. Warne finished his first-innings stint with 6/64.

Read BAN vs AFG 2022: Notable T20I records between Bangladesh vs Afghanistan

ICC World Cup 1999 (Outstanding performances in SF and Final)

Pakistan and South Africa were two of the favourites in the 1999 World Cup. However, Shane Warne's outstanding efforts in the semi-final against South Africa and the final against Pakistan were essential in Australia's second title. Warne got 4/29 against South Africa, then 4/33 in the final against Pakistan. He was named player of the match in both contests. 

2005 Ashes Series (The Lone Fighter)

Australia lost one of the greatest Ashes series in history to England by a 2-1 margin. Leg-spinner Shane Warne was brilliant with the ball throughout the series. He bowled English captain Andrew Strauss in a similar manner to Gatting 12 years ago. That ball is frequently referred to as the Ball of the 21st Century. Warne took 40 wickets in ten innings with an average of 19.92.

Read ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022: Full Fixtures, Dates, Venues

Aftermath  

Shane Warne's overall cricket record shows that he is without a doubt one of the best players of all time. He was a key part of Australia's golden era, which spanned the late 1990s and the first decade of the twenty-first century. Warne helped Australia win many matches, series, and two World Cup titles with his performances on the field. Batters were terrified by his excellent spin bowling.

Perhaps no other spin bowler in the history of the game was as successful and lethal as Shane Warne. Don Bradman's batting statistics are unrivaled, and Garfield Sobers is perhaps the greatest all-rounder of all time. Similarly, it would not be unfair to consider Shane Warne as the greatest-ever bowler of the game. 

Read BAN vs AFG ODI Series 2022: Bangladesh Can Reach Sixth Position in ICC ODI Rankings