Sharad Pawar expressed "shock" at the "untimely" death of International Cricket Council President Percy Sonn in Cape Town, South Africa, on Sunday.
MUMBAI/DUBAI: BCCI President Sharad Pawar expressed "shock" at the "untimely" death of International Cricket Council President Percy Sonn in Cape Town, South Africa, on Sunday.
"Percy Sonn's untimely death has a come as a great shock to all of us in India. On behalf of BCCI and on my personal behalf I extend my condolences to Mrs. Sonn and her family," Pawar said in a statement issued by the BCCI.
Sonn, 57, had been critically ill after developing complications from colon operation on Monday.
He was survived by his wife Sandra, three children, his mother, six brothers and a sister.
Tributes to Sonn from other key figures in the sport:
Sonn's predecessor as ICC President, Ehsan Mani: "As a cricket administrator and a man, Percy Sonn was a giant. He was one of the most intelligent men I have ever met and cricket will be much the poorer for his passing."
Cricket South Africa (CSA) President Ray Mali: "I know Percy was so proud to represent South Africa and the whole continent of Africa as the ICC's first President from this part of the world and he filled the role with great dignity and strength."
"Percy was a great administrator who played a key role in the integration process the game underwent in South Africa either side of the end of Apartheid and his legacy in his homeland is of a strong sport with role models from all sections of society."
ICC Chief Executive Officer Malcolm Speed: "Percy was utterly committed to the game at all levels and his mantras were that the game had to be inclusive rather than exclusive and that it had to be played the right way, to be true to the Spirit of Cricket.
Australian captain Ricky Ponting: "I will always associate Percy with one of the happiest moments of my career as he was the man who handed over the Cricket World Cup trophy to the Australia team at the end of the tournament in Barbados last month ... and to think he is no longer with us less than a month later is a huge shock.
"I have been told of his lifetime of service to the game in what, for many years, must have been difficult circumstances in South Africa. Cricket obviously owes him a huge debt of thanks."
Naseem Ashraf, Chairman of PCB: "Sonn's death is a great loss and the cricket world is aggrieved. The whole cricket world will mourn his death in the days to come. His contribution was great and the cricket world will always remember him."
Former ICC chief Jagmohan Dalmiya condoled the death of International Cricket Council president Percy Sonn, describing his demise as a 'rude shock'.
"It is a loss not only to the world of cricket, but also for me since Percy was a dear friend and a worthy colleague," Dalmiya, the only Indian cricket administrator to have held the post of ICC president, said.
"I knew Percy was unwell. But I thought the true fighter that he was, he would come out of the crisis," Dalmiya, also a former BCCI president, said.
"I pray to the Almighty to give courage to his family to bear the irreparable loss," he said.
Gerald Majola, CEO of CSA : "Percy Sonn will be mourned throughout the cricketing world as one of the best administrators the game has known. He was one of the pioneers of non-racial cricket in South Africa.
"On a personal level, he was my mentor as CEO of Cricket South Africa and I will miss him greatly, as will all cricket structures in South African and world cricket.
"Percy Sonn fought apartheid as both a cricketer and a civil rights lawyer with vigour and great courage. He also played a major role in the formation of a democratic South Africa, and was a founder leader of the Scorpions in the fight against crime."
Professor Jakes Gerwell, a former director in the office of former President Nelson Mandela: "He was always taking up the fight for equality in all aspects of our life in South Africa. Cricket brought us together in the struggles for a better society. His passing away will leave a major gap in the social and sporting world."
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