Benaud, considered one of the most influential cricket identities of the past century, had been fighting skin cancer and died overnight in a Sydney hospice. (Source: AP)

Former Australia cricket captain and television commentator Richie Benaud has died at the age of 84, his employer Channel Nine network said Friday.

Benaud, considered one of the most influential cricket identities of the past century, had been fighting skin cancer and died overnight in a Sydney hospice.

Nine Network chief executive David Gyngell said in statement “Richie Benaud’s passing has robbed us not only of a national treasure but a lovely man … Richie earned the profound and lasting respect of everyone across the world of cricket and beyond.”

A veteran of 63 test matches, Benaud played a pivotal role in the formation of World Series Cricket in the 1970s and was one of the world’s most recognized commentators, anchoring the Nine Network’s cricket coverage for decades.