In a poignant tribute, Shane Warne will be honored during the Boxing Day Test between Australia and Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on December 26. Fans attending the match are encouraged to wear a floppy hat, reminiscent of the iconic leg-spinner’s distinctive style, and to tip their hat at 3.50 pm AEDT (10.20 am IST) in a nod to Warnie’s Test cap number.
Cricket Australia (CA) and the Shane Warne Legacy (SWL) have joined forces to provide free heart tests across the first four days of the Test. The initiative aims to raise awareness about heart health, following Warne’s tragic death from a heart attack in March 2022 at the age of 52.
CA’s chief executive Nick Hockley expressed gratitude for the partnership with SWL, saying, “Shane is greatly missed here in Australia and around the world, and we are grateful to the Shane Warne Legacy and the Warne family in partnering with us to help make a positive difference in his honor.”
Fans paid homage to Warne in the previous year’s Boxing Day Test by wearing floppy hats, and this tradition continues. The crowds will also pause at 3.50 pm to honor Warne’s Test cap number, creating a poignant moment at the iconic MCG.
Helen Nolan, SWL chief, highlighted the significance of the partnership, stating, “This partnership holds immense significance for us and the entire Warne family. It provides a special gathering place at the iconic MCG, allowing cricket enthusiasts and the broader public to come together and honor Shane during one of his favorite weeks of the year.”
In collaboration with SiSU Health, heart tests at the ground will measure blood pressure, resting heart rate, and estimate heart age and diabetes risk.
Shane Warne, the second leading wicket-taker in Test history with 708 scalps, remains a cricket legend, and this tribute at the Boxing Day Test adds a meaningful chapter to his enduring legacy.
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