Muttiah Muralitharan facts for kids
Muralitharan at the CEAT Cricket Ratings Awards in February 2013
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | 17 April 1972 Kandy, then part of Ceylon |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname | Murali | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-arm off break | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Bowler | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Test debut (cap 54) | 28 August 1992 v Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 18 July 2010 v India | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ODI debut (cap 70) | 12 August 1993 v India | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last ODI | 2 April 2011 v India | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ODI shirt no. | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| T20I debut (cap 13) | 22 December 2006 v New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last T20I | 31 October 2010 v Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1991/92–2009/10 | Tamil Union | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999, 2001, 2005, 2007 | Lancashire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003 | Kent | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2010 | Chennai Super Kings | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | Kochi Tuskers Kerala | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | Gloucestershire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011/12 | Wellington Firebirds | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011/12 | Chittagong Kings | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2014 | Royal Challengers Bangalore | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012/13–2013/14 | Melbourne Renegades | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013 | Jamaica Tallawahs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Medal record
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 8 January 2014
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deshabandu Muttiah Muralitharan (born 17 April 1972) is a famous Sri Lankan cricket coach, businessman, and former professional cricketer. He is known as one of the greatest players in cricket history. He took more than six wickets per Test match on average.
Muralitharan is the only bowler to take 800 Test wickets. He also took over 530 One Day International (ODI) wickets. As of 2025, he has taken more wickets in international cricket than any other bowler. He was part of the Sri Lankan team that won the 1996 Cricket World Cup.
His bowling action caused some debate during his career. His arm was naturally bent, and it straightened a bit when he bowled. This led to some umpires questioning if his action was legal. However, after scientific tests, the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed his action was legal in 1996 and again in 1999.
Muralitharan was ranked number one in the ICC's player rankings for Test bowlers for a very long time. He became the highest wicket-taker in Test cricket on 3 December 2007, passing Shane Warne. He had also held the record before in 2004, when he passed Courtney Walsh's 519 wickets. Muralitharan also broke Wasim Akram's record of 502 ODI wickets on 5 February 2009. He retired from Test cricket in 2010, taking his 800th and final wicket with his very last ball in his last Test match.
In 2002, Wisden's Cricketers' Almanack called Muralitharan the greatest Test match bowler. In 2017, he became the first Sri Lankan cricketer to join the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. He also won the Ada Derana Sri Lankan of the Year award in 2017.
Contents
- Early Life and Family
- Spelling His Name
- Playing Cricket in Different Countries
- International Cricket Career
- After Retirement
- Coaching Career
- World Records and Achievements
- Recognition and Awards
- Scientific Research on Bowling
- Charity Work
- Other Work
Early Life and Family
Muttiah Muralitharan was born on 17 April 1972 in Kandy, Sri Lanka. He comes from a Hill Country Tamil Hindu family. He is the oldest of four sons born to Sinnasamy Muttiah and Lakshmi. His father, Sinnasamy Muttiah, runs a successful business making biscuits.
When he was nine, Muralitharan went to St. Anthony's College, Kandy. This was a private school run by monks. He started playing cricket as a medium-pace bowler. But his school coach, Sunil Fernando, told him to try off-spin when he was fourteen. He quickly became very good. He played for his school's top team for four years. Back then, he was an all-rounder and batted in the middle of the lineup. In his last two years at St. Anthony's College, he took over one hundred wickets. In 1990–91, he was named the 'Bata Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year'.
After school, he joined the Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club. He was chosen to tour England with the Sri Lanka A team in 1991. He played five games but did not take any wickets. When he returned to Sri Lanka, he played well against Allan Border's Australian team in a practice game. Soon after, he made his Test debut at R. Premadasa Stadium.
Muralitharan married Madhimalar Ramamurthy from Chennai on 21 March 2005. Their first child, a son named Naren, was born in January 2006. Muttiah Muralitharan has Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI). This means he does not need a visa to travel to India. His family originally came from India, which allows him this status. He announced his retirement from all sports on 3 April 2011.
Spelling His Name
Even though his name was often spelled "Muralitharan" from the start of his career, he prefers "Muralidaran". The different spellings come from how a Tamil letter can be pronounced as 't' or 'd'. In 2007, when Cricket Australia created the new Warne-Muralidaran Trophy, they asked him how to spell his name. He confirmed it should be "Muralidaran".
Playing Cricket in Different Countries
Playing in Sri Lanka
In Sri Lanka, Muralitharan played for two main teams. These were the Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club and Central Province. He had an amazing record, taking 234 wickets in 46 matches.
Playing in England
He also played county cricket in England. He mostly played for Lancashire from 1999 to 2007. He played 28 first-class games for them. He also played five first-class games for Kent in 2003. His bowling record in England was also excellent, with 236 wickets in 33 matches.
Playing in India
In February 2008, Muralitharan was chosen to play Twenty20 cricket for the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He was bought for $600,000. The Chennai Super Kings were runners-up in the first IPL season. Muralitharan took 11 wickets in 15 games. In 2010, he helped the Chennai Super Kings win the IPL championship.
In 2011, Kochi Tuskers Kerala bought Muralitharan for US$1.1 million. In 2012, he moved to Royal Challengers Bangalore. He took 14 wickets in 9 games for them. He played for Royal Challengers Bangalore until 2014. He decided to retire from the IPL in 2014. In 2015, Muralitharan became the bowling coach for the IPL team Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Playing in Australia
Muttiah Muralitharan signed with the Melbourne Renegades to play Twenty20 cricket in the Big Bash League in 2012. He wanted to play one season in Australia.
International Cricket Career
Bowling Style and Progress
Muralitharan is unique because he was the first off-spinner who used his wrist to spin the ball. He could bowl for a very long time and always tried to get wickets. He had a short run-up. He released the ball with a lot of wrist movement. This made some people think he was a leg-spinner at first.
Besides his main delivery, the off-break, he had other special balls. One was a fast topspinner that went straight. Another was the doosra, which turned the opposite way (from leg to off). He could do this without changing his action much. His very flexible wrist helped him spin the ball on any type of pitch.
From his first game in 1992, Muralitharan took 800 Test wickets. He also took over 500 One Day International wickets. He was the first player to take a combined total of 1,000 wickets in these two main types of international cricket.
Test Cricket Highlights
Early Years in Tests
Muralitharan made his Test debut on 28 August 1992, when he was 20 years old. He played against Australia and took 3 wickets. Craig McDermott was his first Test wicket. In August 1993, he took 5 wickets in an innings for the first time against South Africa.
The Boxing Day Test in 1995
During a Test match in Melbourne, Australia, on Boxing Day 1995, Australian umpire Darrell Hair called Muralitharan for "throwing." This means the umpire thought he was straightening his arm too much when bowling, which is against the rules. Hair called him seven times in three overs.
Muralitharan's captain, Arjuna Ranatunga, was very upset and even left the field to talk to his team. Muralitharan was later taken out of the attack. However, he bowled more overs from the other end of the pitch without any issues. The Sri Lankan team was very angry about the calls.
Later, the ICC cleared Muralitharan's action after scientific analysis. They said his action created an "optical illusion" that made it look like he was throwing.
Middle Career Achievements
On 16 March 1997, Muralitharan became the first Sri Lankan to reach 100 Test wickets. In January 1998, he took 10 wickets in a match for the first time against Zimbabwe. In August of that year, he had his best Test match figures, taking 16 wickets against England. He took 9 wickets in one innings, which was amazing. Sri Lanka won that match, their first Test victory in England.
In December 2000, Muralitharan took his 300th Test wicket. He reached 400 wickets in his 72nd Test in January 2002. He was the fastest and youngest to reach this milestone. On 16 March 2004, he became the fastest and youngest bowler to reach 500 wickets in his 87th Test.
Breaking World Records
In May 2004, Muralitharan passed West Indian Courtney Walsh's record of 519 Test wickets. This made him the highest wicket-taker at that time. He held the record until Shane Warne passed him in October 2004.
In 2006, Muralitharan had an amazing year. He took 60 wickets in six Tests. He took 10 wickets in four matches in a row. For his great performance, he was named the Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World.
In July 2007, Muralitharan became the second bowler, after Warne, to take 700 Test wickets. He reached this milestone against Bangladesh. On 3 December 2007, he took back the record for most Test wickets. He bowled England's Paul Collingwood to get his 709th Test wicket, passing Shane Warne. Muralitharan reached this in 116 Tests, which was 29 fewer than Warne.
Beyond the Record
In July 2008, Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis bowled very well against India. Sri Lanka won the first Test by a huge margin. Muralitharan took 11 wickets in the match. He believed that Mendis's arrival would help him play Test cricket for a few more years.
Test Wicket Milestones
- 1st wicket: Craig McDermott (Australia) in 1992
- 100th wicket: Stephen Fleming (New Zealand) in 1997
- 200th wicket: Dominic Cork (England) in 1998
- 300th wicket: Shaun Pollock (South Africa) in 2000
- 400th wicket: Henry Olonga (Zimbabwe) in 2002
- 500th wicket: Michael Kasprowicz (Australia) in 2004
- 520th wicket: Mluleki Nkala (Zimbabwe) in 2004 (Broke Courtney Walsh's world record)
- 700th wicket: Syed Rasel (Bangladesh) in 2007
- 709th wicket: Paul Collingwood (England) in 2007 (Broke Shane Warne's world record)
- 800th wicket: Pragyan Ojha (India) in 2010 (His final delivery in Test cricket)
One Day Internationals (ODIs)
ODI Career Summary
Muralitharan made his One Day International (ODI) debut on 12 August 1993 against India. He took 1 wicket for 38 runs. Pravin Amre was his first ODI wicket. On 27 October 2000, he took 7 wickets for 30 runs against India. These were the best bowling figures in ODIs at that time.
In 2006, Muralitharan had the second-highest number of runs hit off him in an ODI innings. Despite this, he was named in the World ODI XI by the ICC for his performances in 2006 and 2007. He was also part of the 'Team of the Tournament' for the 2007 World Cup.
Muralitharan played in five Cricket World Cup tournaments (1996, 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011). He took 67 World Cup wickets, second only to Glenn McGrath. He played in three World Cup finals. In 1996, he was part of the Sri Lankan team that won the World Cup. He also played in the 2007 and 2011 World Cup finals, where Sri Lanka lost. The 2011 final was his last ODI match.
Muralitharan holds the record for the most career wickets in One Day Internationals. He passed Wasim Akram's record of 502 wickets on 5 February 2009. He won 13 Man of the Match awards in ODIs.
Batting Style
Muralitharan usually batted at number 11, which is the last position. He was known for hitting the ball hard and aggressively. Sometimes, he would move away from his stumps to hit the ball. His highest Test score was 67 runs against India in 2001. He also made valuable scores in ODIs, including his highest ODI score of 33 not out against Bangladesh in 2009. In that match, his quick runs helped Sri Lanka win after a very bad start.
Muralitharan holds the record for the most "ducks" (being dismissed for zero runs) in international cricket, with a total of 59 ducks.
Challenges in Australia
Muralitharan often faced rude comments from Australian crowds. They would accuse him of "throwing" the ball. In 2004, the Australian Prime Minister even called him a "chucker." Because of this, Muralitharan said he might not play in Australia in the future.
Former Sri Lanka coach and Australian cricketer, Tom Moody, said he was embarrassed by how Australian crowds treated Muralitharan. He said it was the only place in the cricket world where a player was treated so badly.
During a series in Australia in 2008, some Sri Lankan team members, including Muralitharan, were targeted in an incident in Hobart. Someone threw eggs at them and verbally abused them. Muralitharan said, "When you come to Australia, you expect such incidents."
Retirement from Cricket
On 7 July 2010, Muttiah Muralitharan announced he was retiring from Test cricket. His last Test match was against India on 18 July 2010. He said he would still play One-Day Internationals until the 2011 World Cup. He said winning the 1996 World Cup was his greatest moment. He also mentioned that he regretted not winning Test matches in South Africa, Australia, and India.
At the start of his last match, Muralitharan needed eight more wickets to reach 800. He took his 800th and final wicket on the very last ball of his Test career. He became the only bowler to reach 800 wickets in Test cricket. Sri Lanka won that match.
In late 2010, Muralitharan announced he would retire from all international cricket after the 2011 Cricket World Cup. His last ODI game was the World Cup final against India in Mumbai, which Sri Lanka lost.
After Retirement
In July 2014, Muralitharan played for the Rest of the World team in a special match at Lord's.
Coaching Career
Muralitharan has been the bowling coach for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL since 2015. Under his coaching, the Sunrisers Hyderabad won the IPL championship in 2016. He has also been a head coach for a team in the TNPL.
In 2014, Muralitharan worked as a coaching consultant for the Australian national team. He also worked with the Cricket Association of Bengal. He was again called to help the Australian team before their tour of Sri Lanka in 2016. Even with his help, Australia lost all three Test matches. His role with the Australian team caused some debate in Sri Lanka.
World Records and Achievements
Muttiah Muralitharan holds many world records:
- Most Test wickets (800 wickets).
- Most One-Day International wickets (534 wickets).
- Most international wickets combined (Tests, ODIs, T20s) (1347 wickets).
- Most times taking 5 wickets in an innings in Tests (67).
- Most times taking 10 wickets in a match in Tests (22). He is the only player to take 10 wickets in a match against every Test-playing nation.
- Fastest to reach 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, and 800 Test wickets.
- Only player to take 10 wickets in a Test in four consecutive matches. He did this twice.
- Only player to take 50 or more wickets against every Test-playing nation.
- He and Jim Laker are the only bowlers to take 9 wickets in a Test innings twice.
- Most Test wickets taken by being bowled (167), stumped (47), and caught & bowled (35).
- Most successful bowler/fielder combination: c. Mahela Jayawardene b. Muttiah Muralitharan (77 wickets).
- Most Man of the Series awards in Test cricket (11).
- One of only six bowlers to dismiss all eleven batsmen in a Test match.
- Most Test wickets taken at a single ground. He took over 100 Test wickets at three different venues in Sri Lanka.
- Only bowler to take 75 or more wickets in a calendar year in Test cricket three times.
- Most five-wicket hauls in international career (77).
- Most ducks (dismissals for zero) in international cricket (59 total).
- Most balls bowled in international cricket career (63,132).
- Most Test wickets taken at home (493).
- Only bowler to take 100 or more wickets in a calendar year four times across all formats.
- Highest number of wickets in a calendar year in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is combined, with 136 wickets in 2001.
Recognition and Awards
In 2002, Wisden analyzed all Test matches and ranked Muralitharan as the best Test bowler of all time. Former Australian captain Steve Waugh called him the "Don Bradman of bowling."
Muralitharan was named the Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World in 2000 and 2006.
On 15 November 2007, the Warne-Muralidaran Trophy was revealed. It is named after him and Shane Warne, the two leading wicket-takers in Test cricket. This trophy is now played for between Australia and Sri Lanka in all future Test series.
On 3 December 2007, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) showed a portrait of Muralitharan at Lord's. On the same day, Sri Lanka issued a special stamp to celebrate his world record.
An Australian musician, Alston Koch, recorded an official tribute song for Muralitharan. The song was even mentioned on the BBC's Test Match Special.
On 10 January 2008, the Parliament of Sri Lanka honored Muttiah Muralitharan for breaking the world record for most Test wickets. This was the first time a sportsman was honored in Sri Lanka's main law-making body. The Central Provincial Council in Kandy renamed the International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele after him.
Scientific Research on Bowling
Since 1999, many scientific studies have looked at Muralitharan's bowling action. This research helped the ICC officially accept his bowling action. It also led the ICC to change the rules about bowling actions in cricket.
Charity Work
Muralitharan, with his manager Kushil Gunasekara, started the Foundation of Goodness. This charity helps the Seenigama region in southern Sri Lanka. It supports communities with projects for children, education, health, housing, and sports. Murali's project raised money from cricketers and officials in England and Australia.
Muralitharan also planned to build a second sports complex for people displaced by war in Mankulam. This project aimed to build a sports center, a school, training centers, and a home for elders. English cricketer Sir Ian Botham visited Mankulam with Muralitharan.
In June 2004, Muralitharan became an ambassador for the United Nations World Food Program. He worked to fight hunger among school children.
When the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake hit Sri Lanka, Muralitharan helped with relief efforts. He narrowly escaped the tsunami himself. He organized trucks to deliver food and supplies. He also got cement donated for rebuilding homes and facilities. The foundation raised over US$4 million to help survivors.
Other Work
On 1 August 2015, Muralitharan and fellow Sri Lankan cricketer Tillakaratne Dilshan were appointed by President of Sri Lanka Maithripala Sirisena. They became Brand Ambassadors for a special task force to fight kidney disease.
