IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) Director of Cricket and former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara paid a moving tribute to former captain and Australian spin great Shane Warne on Wednesday.
Warne became the first captain to win the IPL when he led Rajasthan Royals to title victory in 2008.
In a video posted by RR on their official Twitter handle an emotional Sangakkara heaped praise on 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.
"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 had a big heart that had room for everyone. He 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.
"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.
"As he goes on his final journey I am sending him and his family all my love. Just appreciating the mark that he left in all our lives and the cricketing world in general.
"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.
Warne, who is considered one of the greatest cricketers of all time, died aged 52 earlier this month from a suspected heart attack while on holiday in Koh Samui, Thailand.
