Cricket World Mourns Loss of Graham Thorpe

Former England cricketer and coach Graham Thorpe has passed away at age 55. Known for his elegant batting, Thorpe played 100 Test matches and 82 ODIs from 1993 to 2005. He later coached England, aiding their 2019 World Cup win. Thorpe was recently appointed as Afghanistan's head coach.

Former England cricketer and coach Graham Thorpe has died at the age of 55, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Monday.

Thorpe, renowned for his stylish batting, is considered one of the finest players of his era. Playing from 1993 to 2005, he appeared in 100 Test matches, scoring 6,744 runs with an average of 44.66, including 16 centuries. He also participated in 82 One-Day Internationals (ODIs).

Thorpe's hometown club Surrey described him as a 'Surrey and England legend.' 'Everyone associated with the club is devastated by the tragic news of Graham’s death,' Surrey posted on social media.

In a statement on X, the ECB expressed, 'There seem to be no appropriate words to describe the deep shock we feel at Graham's death... more than one of England’s finest-ever batters, he was a beloved member of the cricket family and revered by fans all over the world. The cricket world is in mourning today. Our hearts go out to his wife Amanda, his children, father Geoff, and all of his family and friends during this unimaginably difficult time.'

Thorpe served as England's batting coach and assistant coach, playing a key role in their first ODI World Cup victory in 2019. He stepped down in February 2022 after a 4-0 loss in the Ashes. Thorpe was appointed as Afghanistan's head coach in March 2022 but was hospitalised with a serious illness before he could assume the role.

'As batting coach, Thorpe played a key role in England’s resurgence in white-ball cricket,' the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), where Thorpe was an honorary life member, stated in a social media post.