Shane Warne's death anniversary: Reliving spin legend's iconic 'Ball of the Century'

New Delhi, March 4: On this day in 2022, the untimely death of Australian spin maestro Shane Warne at the age of 52 shocked the sporting world.

Over the course of a golden career, the legend shattered several records in cricket and set his own.

It was June 4, 1993, at Old Trafford in Manchester, England. Warne, who had taken 31 wickets in 11 Tests up to that point, was getting ready to throw his first ball on English soil.

Mike Gatting, a stocky Middlesex batter and part-time spinner, approached the Victorian. What followed, and a glut of bowling records thereafter, went a long way in shaping the legacy of the man, who also went by the nickname 'Spin King'.

Warne unleashed a 'ripper,' which castled Gatting around his legs, leaving him dazed and perplexed. That delivery, also known as the 'Ball of the Century,' has since become folklore in the much-loved and followed sport.

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Warne, then 23, wrote that unforgettable moment in cricket history during the first Test of the Ashes series in Manchester in 1993.

The ball landed wide of Gatting's leg but spun sharply to deflect his off-stump. The batter stood at the crease, stunned, and it took him a few moments to process what had happened.

Last year, the International Cricket Council (ICC) shared photos of the historic moment on Twitter, writing, "On this day in 1993, the world witnessed Shane Warne's 'Ball of the Century."