The family of Shane Warne may face a battle with Thai red tape to take his body back to Australia.
The spin king was in Thailand when he shockingly passed away at the age of 52 on Friday.
The cricket legend’s friend Andrew Neophitou found him unresponsive in his room and tried to revive him for 20 minutes.
But sadly Warne was later pronounced dead in hospital.
Warne’s family are desperate to avoid an autopsy in the hope he will be returned to his country of birth as soon as possible.
But the Thai police insist that the procedure must be carried out to determine the cause of death before he can be returned home.
“We just really want to get Shane home,” Mr Neophitou said after meeting Thai police at Bo Phut Police Station on Saturday.
Thai police lieutenant-colonel Chatchawin Nakmusik said he needed the results of the autopsy to close the case before releasing the body.
“I am waiting for the autopsy report. If there is nothing suspicious, then the case is closed,' he told The Guardian .
“The family will be responsible to take the body back to their home country.”
Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials met with those who travelled to Thailand with Warne and spoke with Thai authorities to arrange flying his body to Australia.
“DFAT is working with Thai authorities to confirm arrangements following his passing, assist with his repatriation and provide other assistance on the ground,” she said.
Australian ambassador Allan McKinnon arrived at Koh Samu in an attempt to cut through the red tape on behalf of Warne’s family.
He hopes to negotiate a deal with Thai officials to allow the body to be released to the family as soon as possible.
The Daily Telegraph reported that an official certificate with the cause of death will have to accompany Warne's body for it to be brought back to Australia.
Warne is regarded as one of the greatest cricketers of all time.
He took a mammoth 708 Test match wickets during his illustrious 15-year career, along with 293 scalps in ODI cricket.
Warne helped Australia win the Cricket World Cup in 1999 and has taken more wickets than any other bowler in Ashes cricket, with 195.
