- Martin and Warne were good friends
- Coldplay are in Australia to play sold out shows
- Martin has paid tribute to Warne for the second time
International mega-group Coldplay have honored Australian cricket legend Shane Warne for the second time during their Music of the Spheres tour.
During their second show at the sold-out Marvel Stadium that Warne called home with the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League, singer Chris Martin made a simple but meaningful gesture in tribute to his old friend.
Coldplay’s Chris Martin and Shane Warne developed a close friendship, thanks to their shared love of sport and music.
Warne was often seen at Coldplay concerts, and Martin publicly acknowledged their friendship, describing Warne as a warm, supportive friend.
Their connection extended beyond social events, with Martin even paying a heartfelt tribute to Warne following his unexpected passing in 2022.
While Coldplay are currently touring Australia, Martin Warne honored the sold-out crowd with his children Brooke and Jackson by dedicating their hit Sparks to the late legspinner.
“Let’s play this for Shane and his family,” Martin said.
‘Our brother, we miss you. Every time we came to Melbourne it was fun hanging out with Shane and the whole Warne family.
“I don’t want to talk about it too much or I’ll start crying.”
Coldplay singer Chris Martin unveiled this Melbourne Stars jersey with Shane Warne’s number 23 on it, which he left on stage as a tribute to his old friend
Coldplay played two shows in Melbourne this week and Martin paid tribute to Warne at both
Warne played 145 Test matches and 194 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) for Australia from 1992 to 2007, taking 708 Test wickets
Martin then made another touching gesture during the Brit rocker’s second performance in Melbourne.
At the end of the show, after the band thanked the audience, the singer unveiled a Melbourne Stars jersey with Warne’s iconic number 23 on the back, which he showed to the crowd before hanging it from his microphone stand.
“So good to see Chris Martin wearing the Stars jersey again last night in memory of his great friend Shane Warne,” the Melbourne Stars posted on social media platform X.
Warne joined the Stars in 2011 in the inaugural season of the Big Bash League (BBL), bringing experience and star power to the team.
He played two seasons with the Stars, contributing both as a bowler and a mentor before retiring from all formats in 2013.
Warne was a regular at Coldplay gigs and was even allowed on stage to play with the band
“Shane Warne was missed by many cricket fans. It was great to see Chris Martin paying tribute to the late cricketer,” a fan commented on Martin’s gesture.
It is not the first time that Coldplay and Martin have honored the Australian cricket hero.
Martin performed the band’s hit single Yellow at the cricketer’s memorial at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in March 2022.
He also performed an original song he wrote during a tour of Australia last year and which he also dedicated to Warne.