Eight hundred Test wickets. No other bowler has reached that number, and Muttiah Muralitharan got there with the very last ball of his Test career. The Sri Lankan off-spinner also holds the record for one-day international wickets and won the World Cup in 1996.
Still involved in the game as Sunrisers Hyderabad's bowling coach, Murali remains one of cricket's most influential figures. Here is the story of the wristy magician from Kandy. Explore his designs in our Muttiah Muralitharan collection.
Muttiah Muralitharan Fact File
| Full name | Muttiah Muralitharan |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 17 April 1972 (age 54) |
| Place of birth | Kandy, Sri Lanka |
| Height | 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) |
| Role | Bowler: right-arm off-break |
| Nationality | Sri Lankan |
| International career | 1992–2011 |
| Current status | Retired; Sunrisers Hyderabad bowling coach |
| Nickname | Murali |
Career History
| Format | Matches | Wickets | Best bowling | 5-wkt hauls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 133 | 800 | 9/51 | 67 |
| ODIs | 350 | 534 | 7/30 | 10 |
| T20Is | 12 | 13 | 3/29 | 0 |
| IPL | 66 | 63 | – | – |
International figures for Sri Lanka, plus his Indian Premier League career with Chennai Super Kings, Kochi Tuskers Kerala and Royal Challengers Bangalore. He also took 22 ten-wicket matches in Tests, and his best match figures were 16/220.
Early Years in Kandy
Born in Kandy in the hills of central Sri Lanka, Muralitharan developed an unusual, wristy off-spin that produced prodigious turn. He made his Test debut against Australia in Colombo in August 1992, and within a few years he had become the spearhead of Sri Lanka's attack.
Celebrate the master spinner with our Muttiah Muralitharan Cricket Icon Frame Men's Hoodie.
World Cup Glory and Scrutiny
Murali was part of the Sri Lanka side that won the 1996 World Cup, a landmark moment for the nation. Around the same time his action came under scrutiny, after he was called for throwing in a Test in Melbourne in 1995. Biomechanical testing led the ICC to clear him, and in 2005 the ICC introduced a 15-degree elbow-flex tolerance for all bowlers, under which his doosra was legal.
Or keep it simple with our Muttiah Muralitharan Men's T-Shirt.
Peak Years and Records
His haul of 16 for 220 against England at The Oval in 1998, including nine in the second innings, is one of the great individual bowling performances. In 2002 he took 9 for 51 against Zimbabwe in Kandy, and Wisden named him the greatest Test bowler of all time that year.
On 3 December 2007, on his home ground in Kandy, he passed Shane Warne to become Test cricket's leading wicket-taker. In February 2009 he overtook Wasim Akram's ODI record of 502 wickets, finishing with 534.
For summer at the crease, try the Muttiah Muralitharan Cricket Icon Frame Men's T-Shirt.
The Perfect Farewell
Murali retired from Test cricket after the first Test against India at Galle in July 2010, needing eight wickets to reach 800. With the last ball he ever bowled in Tests, he had Pragyan Ojha caught by Mahela Jayawardene to reach the magical number. He played on in one-day cricket until the 2011 World Cup, where Sri Lanka reached the final.
Honours
Team
- ICC Cricket World Cup: 1996
- ICC Champions Trophy (shared): 2002
- Indian Premier League with Chennai Super Kings: 2010
Records
- Most Test wickets: 800
- Most ODI wickets: 534
- Most international wickets across formats: 1,347
Individual
- Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World: 2000, 2006
- Named greatest Test bowler of all time by Wisden: 2002
- ICC Hall of Fame: 2017 (first Sri Lankan inductee)
Away From the Game
Muralitharan has long supported the Foundation of Goodness, a charity based in Seenigama that helped rebuild communities after the 2004 tsunami and now works across more than 200 villages. His life story was told in the 2023 biopic 800, starring Madhur Mittal.
FAQs
How old is Muttiah Muralitharan?
Muttiah Muralitharan was born on 17 April 1972, so he is 54 years old.
Where was Muttiah Muralitharan born?
He was born in Kandy, Sri Lanka.
How many Test wickets did Muralitharan take?
He took 800 Test wickets in 133 matches, the most in history, reaching 800 with his final ball in Tests.
Who was Murali's 800th Test wicket?
India's Pragyan Ojha, caught by Mahela Jayawardene at Galle on 22 July 2010.
Did Muralitharan win the World Cup?
Yes. He was part of the Sri Lanka team that won the 1996 Cricket World Cup.
What does Muralitharan do now?
He has been the bowling coach of IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad since 2015.
Shop the Muttiah Muralitharan Collection
Celebrate cricket's greatest wicket-taker with our Muttiah Muralitharan range, made to order in the UK.
See the full Muttiah Muralitharan collection, explore more legends in our cricket collection, or design your own with our custom name hoodie.
Part of our Player Profiles series. Read next: Shane Warne Career Story and James Anderson Career Story.
0 comentarios