Veteran Australian opener David Warner has decided to attend the state funeral of his childhood idol, Shane Warne, later this month, but he also said that it will take time to get used to his sudden demise. Warne died after having a heart attack while holidaying in Thailand last week, and his death has literally shaken the cricket arena, especially the Australian team, who are currently in Pakistan for the ongoing series.

“It still hasn’t really sunk in,” said Warner before the second Test starting in Karachi from Saturday. “When we first found out, we thought it was a joke.”

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David Warner said that he will head home after the third Test, in Lahore which will begin from March 25, as he is not part of the limited-overs series as well. And, Warne’s state funeral will take place on March 30.

Warner said: “I will be there, 100 per cent. It’s definitely going to be extremely emotional for everyone. There will be lots of people paying their respects. You just look at the tributes from around the world — he has touched millions and millions of people, and from different countries.”

David Warner also said that he grew up idolising Warne, saying, “As a kid, I had his poster up on the wall. I wanted to be like Shane.”

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“We’re entertainers as well. If I’m not playing in the middle where I’m batting, I like to engage with the fans.”

However, he also acknowledged that the Australians wanted to win over the Pakistan fans after such a long time. “I’ve got nothing but great words to say about the place,” David Warner concluded.