As many as a billion people are expected to watch the memorial for the late, great Shane Warne in one of the world’s most watched televised events, as it is streamed into India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Britain, as well as across all of Australia’s free-to-air networks and Foxtel.

On Wednesday night more than 50,000 people are expected to fill the MCG, where the great Victorian leg-spinner took his hat-trick against England, as well as his 700th Test wicket, with the event to culminate in officially unveiling the MCG’s largest grandstand being named in the spin king’s honour.