JOIN USHuma (42) had been battling for life for the past few days as she developed sudden complications due to a renal failure.
Hospital sources said Huma's husband Wasim and few of her close relatives were present when the end came at 9.20 am on Sunday morning.
In a formal bulletin issued late in the afternoon, Apollo Hospitals said that Huma died of cardiac arrest and severe refractory shock.
The presence of a large media contingent and scores of cricket fans prompted security to be tightened around the hospital.
No one was allowed entry to the premises. Arrangements were made to take Huma Akram’s remains to Pakistan by a special flight from Chennai.
Huma was admitted to the Apollo Hospitals in a very critical condition on October 20, after she had developed complications in the Air Ambulance that was flying her from Pakistan to a private Hospital in Singapore. Her condition took a turn for the worse when the aircraft landed in Chennai for a scheduled refuelling.
Steps were taken to issue urgent entry permits immediately through Airports Authority and the External Affairs Ministry in Delhi.
Following doctor's advice, Huma was admitted to the Apollo Hospital's ICU here and put on ventilator.
Her condition continued to be critical, despite showing slight improvement on Friday.
The body was later taken from the Apollo Hospitals to the Shri Ramachandra Medical Centre (SRMC) Hospital in suburban Porur for embalming, after which it was taken to the airport. “They (Wasim Akram and his family) wanted the body to be embalmed and it was done here,” T G Nallamuthu, spokesperson for SRMC hospital told Deccan Herald.
However, Chennai airport sources could not confirm till late in the evening whether Huma's body was being taken back to Lahore in a special flight from here or by a regular commercial flight to New Delhi en route to Lahore.