Cape Town, May 27:

Percy Sonn, the president of the International Cricket Council, died on Sunday from complications after colon surgery. He was 57.

The ICC confirmed that Sonn died in a Cape Town hospital after lapsing into critical condition from an operation on May 21. “He was immensely popular among the ICC’s staff, a friend to me, and he could brighten the darkest day because, invariably, he had a smile on his face,” ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed said. Sonn was chosen to head the ICC in 2006. Prior to that he was the ICC vice president for two years. He was president of the United Cricket Board of South Africa for three years until 2003.

A lawyer by profession, Sonn also worked as a public prosecutor and legal adviser to the South African Police Service. He won praise for his role in unifying South African sport after racial segregation during apartheid, bringing black players in to help ease the nation back into the international fold after years of isolation.