A special event was held at the Galle International Stadium today (29) to commemorate former Australian spinner Shane Warne, who passed away three months ago. Sri Lanka Cricket President Shammi Silva and the Executive Committee, Australian Cricket Board CEO Nick Hockley, 1996 World Cup-winning Sri Lankan team captain Arjuna Ranatunga and other former players as well as current Sri Lankan and Australian team members hosting the event.
Ahead of the first Test at the Galle International Cricket Stadium today, Sri Lanka Cricket President Shammi Silva presents a specially prepared commemorative plaque to Shane Warne at the Cricket Board of Australia presenting the award to CEO Nick Hawkley. It was also noteworthy that huge plaques commemorating Mr. Shane Warne were erected around the Galle Stadium to brighten up the commemoration ceremony.
“You will live forever in the hearts of Sri Lankans, not only as Shane Vaughan, the eternal hero of the game of cricket but also as the great man who embodied the maximum of humanity,” the plaque reads.
Shane Warne, who represented the international cricket field from 1992 to 2007, is the first bowler to cross the 700 Test wicket mark and is the bowler who managed to take the highest number of wickets among the leg spinners in the world. Warne, who played 145 Test matches for Australia, has taken 708 Test wickets. He is second only to Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka who has taken 800 Test wickets in the world.
Despite being an adversary on the cricket field, Shane Warne was at the forefront of those who played a key role in helping Sri Lanka during the 2004 tsunami disaster. Vaughan came to the Galle International Stadium to inspect the damage done to the Galle Stadium during the disaster, as a token of gratitude to the stadium for his 500th Test wicket.
In addition to Arjuna Ranatunga, former players Aravinda de Silva, Muttiah Muralitharan, Romesh Kaluwitharana, and Upul Chandana, Mohan de Silva, Secretary of the Sri Lanka Cricket, Krishantha Kapuwatta, Deputy Secretary and Chief Executive Officer were also present on the occasion.
