"Percy Sonn's untimely death has come as a great shock to all of us in India.

"On behalf of the Board of Control for Cricket in India and on my personal behalf I extend my condolences to Mrs. Sonn and her family."

Sonn, the first African to head the ICC, died aged 57 after spending several days in a Cape Town hospital in South Africa following complications after undergoing a minor colon operation.

Former ICC and Indian cricket board president Jagmohan Dalmiya said: "It is a loss not only to the world of cricket, but also for me since Percy was a dear friend and a worthy colleague.

"I knew Percy was unwell. But I thought the true fighter that he was, he would come out of the crisis. I pray to the Almighty to give courage to his family to bear the irreparable loss."

Sonn became ICC president in June 2006 after successfully heading the United Cricket Board of South Africa where he played an integral part in the integration of South Africa into the world game after the end of apartheid.

Pakistan's cricket chief said Sunday that the death of Sonn was a sad day for the sport.

"Sonn's death is a great loss and the cricket world is aggrieved," Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Naseem Ashraf said of Sonn.

Sonn, the first African to head the game's governing body, had developed complications after undergoing a minor colon operation last week.

Ashraf said he had offered his condolences to Sonn's family via a personal telephone call.

"The whole cricket world will mourn his death in the days to come," Ashraf said.

Sonn succeeded Pakistan's Ehsan Mani in 2006 and Ashraf said that since taking over Sonn had contributed towards the development of the game.

"His (Sonn's) contribution was great and the cricket world will always remember him."

England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman David Morgan also paid tribute.

Morgan, who said Sonn was "highly respected as a cricket administrator", added he would miss the South African's friendship.

"Percy Sonn has completed less than one year of his three-year term and international cricket has been robbed of his skilful and dedicated leadership by his sad and untimely passing," Morgan said.

"Mr Sonn has done a huge amount of good work in re-establishing cricket as a sport for all the people in South Africa throughout the apartheid years and afterwards," he added.

"And as President of the United Cricket Board of South Africa, he did so much to ensure that the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup was a success in Southern Africa."

"He was highly respected as a cricket administrator throughout Southern Africa and in the wider world as he established himself as the vice-president and subsequently the president of the International Cricket Council.

"On a personal note I shall miss Percy Sonn's friendship and inspirational support and our thoughts today are with his wife, Sandra, and the other members of his family."

The ICC said details of Sonn's funeral would be "made public as appropriate".

Morgan tied with India's Sharad Pawar in a recent vote to decide who should succeed Sonn. As a result the South African lawyer's initial two-year term in office had been extended to three years.