Rajasthan Royals’ Director of Cricket Kumar Sangakarra paid a tribute to Shane Warne on Wednesday. The Sri Lankan great described the late Aussie legend as a ‘larger than life’ character who ‘broke the mould’. 

Celebrities including singer Elton John, golfing legend Greg Norman and champion surfer Kelly Slater paid tribute on Warne at a star-studded state memorial service.

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More than 50,000 mourners chanted their hero’s nickname “Warnie” at the outset of the service at the Melbourne Cricket Ground as they used to do when he took to the pitch for a match.

Warne died earlier this month from a suspected heart attack while on holiday in Koh Samui, Thailand. He was 52 years old. 

Shane Warne was Rajasthan Royals’ first captain and led the team to their only IPL title in 2008. 

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In a video posted by RR on their official Twitter handle, Sangakarra, praised the legendary leg-spinner.

“He was larger than life and he broke the mould. Never liked structure, never liked restrictions. He was just this person who gave all of himself in everything that he did on the field, off it, family and friends,” Sangakarra said. 

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The former Sri Lanka player further added that Warne was a great cricketing brain. 

“I could talk about what he did on the field, in terms of his skill, in terms of his genius. How great his cricketing brain was. Tactically he was a genius. But it all pales in comparison to how he touched people when he interacted with them,” he said. 

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Sangakarra further added that Warne has a ‘big heart that had room for everyone’ and ‘made people believe the impossible was possible’. 

“He believed he could do anything and he believed that if you were with him on the field in his company, you could do the same.”

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“He was larger than life, unique, authentic and original and he lived life to the fullest. He lived life exactly the way he thought it should be lived and all of us, we loved him for it. It’s a tough time for all of us, those who knew him well. For his family and fans,” he said. 

Kumar Sangakarra further sent love to the Warne family. 

“But most of all I want to say Thank you to him for being him; for being the king, for being Warnie. God will bless you my friend and god will keep you,” Sangakkara said in the video.