Muttiah முரளிதரான்

(Tamil: முத்தையா முரளிதரன், born 17 April 1972 in Kandy, Sri Lanka), often referred to as Murali, is a Sri Lankan cricketer who was rated the greatest Test match bowler ever by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack in 2002.[3]
Muralitharan is the highest wicket-taker in both Test cricket[4] and in One Day Internationals (ODIs)[5]. He took the wicket of Gautham Gambhir on 5 February 2009 in Colombo, to surpass Wasim Akram's ODI record of 502 wickets.[6] Muralitharan became the highest wicket-taker in Test cricket when overtook the previous record-holder Shane Warne on 3 December 2007 in longer version of the game.[7][8] Muralitharan had previously held the record when he surpassed Courtney Walsh's 519 wickets in 2004. But he suffered a shoulder injury later that year and was then overtaken by Warne.[9]
Averaging over six wickets per Test, Muralitharan is one of the most successful bowlers in the game and the greatest player for Sri Lanka.[10] He plays domestic cricket for the Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club, and plays in the Indian Premier League for Chennai Super Kings.
Muralitharan's career has been beset with controversy; his bowling action called into question on a number of occasions by umpires and sections of the cricket community.[11] After biomechanical analysis in non-match conditions, Muralitharan's action was cleared by the International Cricket Council, first in 1996 and again in 1999.[10] The legality of his doosra was first called into question in 2004. This delivery was found to exceed the ICC elbow extension limit by nine degrees, five degrees being the limit for spinners at that time.[12] Based on official studies into bowling actions, ICC revised the elbow flexion limits applying to all bowlers in 2005.[13][14] Muralitharan's doosra falls within the revised limits.[15][16][17]
In February 2009, after becoming cricket’s highest wicket-taker in both forms of the game Muttiah Muralitharan hinted that he may retire at the conclusion of the 2011 World Cup. He stated “I think I am fit in my body and mind, I am enjoying my cricket and want to play more. But after the next World Cup, I will have nothing left to achieve in the game. The World Cup should mark the end of my

Full name
Muttiah Muralitharan
Born
17 April 1972 (1972-04-17) (age 37)Kandy, Sri Lanka
Nickname
Murali
Batting style
Right-handed
Bowling style
Right-arm off-break
Role
Off-spin bowler
International information
National side
Sri Lanka
Test debut (cap 54)
28 August 1992 v Australia
Last Test
1 March 2009 v Pakistan
ODI debut (cap 70)
12 August 1993 v India
Last ODI
8 February 2009 v India
ODI shirt no.
08
Domestic team information
Years
Team
1991–present
Tamil Union
1999–2007
Lancashire
2003
Kent
2008 - present
Chennai Super Kings
Career statistics
Competition
Tests
ODI
FC
LA
Matches
127[1]
329[2]
226
418
Runs scored
1,178
610
2,109
841
Batting average
11.32
6.42
11.15
6.95
100s/50s
0/1
0/0
0/1
0/0
Top score
67
33*
67
33*
Balls bowled
42,020
17,713
64,914
21,981
Wickets
770
505
1,344
632
Bowling average
22.18
22.74
19.26
22.12
5 wickets in innings
66
10
118
12
10 wickets in match
22
n/a
34
n/a
Best bowling
9/51
7/30
9/51
7/30
Catches/stumpings
69/–
127/–
120/–
149

Lasith Malinga's bowling action

is first-class. He slats it. He whangs it. He slings it. He doesn't chuck it. Better not use the word 'chuck'. No, what Lasith Malinga does is what all of us used to do when we were kids. He just tries to propel the ball as fast as humanly possible. It looks pretty weird, but it's effective. There are pros and cons.Pros:Lasith Malinga's action uses every part of his body in generating pace.The ball is released from an unusually low point, which can catch out batsmen used to more conventional actions.If he swings the ball in, it will also dip, due to the angle of the seam. Waqar Younis's inswinging yorker did this. Waqar Younis's inswinging yorker was just about the best delivery there's ever been.If he swings it out, the ball will also rise, pitching fuller than the batsmen anticipates. This is likely to lead to false strokes.Cons:Accuracy. If Lasith Malinga releases at the wrong moment, the ball will either go full and down the leg side, or short and on the off-side.Those of you with modern internet connections or at work can see a video of Lasith Malinga bowling against the West Indies here.Go on Lasith Malinga. You fire your tennis ball into that piece of wood propped up with a brick. Your bowling action's purer than any in international cricket

About sri lanka cricket team

The Sri Lankan cricket team is a national cricket team representing Sri Lanka. The team first played international cricket in 1975, and were later awarded Test status in 1981, which made Sri Lanka the eighth Test playing nation. The Sri Lankan team transformed themselves from underdog status to a major cricketing nation during the 1990s. The team went on to win the 1996 Cricket World Cup, beating Australia in the finals, and becoming World Champions. Since then, the team has continued to be a major force in international cricket. Sri Lankan team currently holds several word records including world records for highest team totals in all three forms of the game, Test, ODI and, Twenty20. The Sri Lanka team did well to reach the finals of the 2007 Cricket World Cup but lost to Australia in a rain-affected match. The batting of Sanath Jayasuriya and Aravinda de Silva (retired), backed up by the bowling of Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas, among many other talented cricketers, has underpinned the successes of Sri Lankan cricket during the last 15 years. The team is administered by Sri Lanka Cricket

Early years
Ceylon, as the country was known before 1972, played its first first-class match under that name against MCC at Nomads Ground, Victoria Park, Colombo in 1926-27, losing by an innings. [1] The team's first win came against Patiala at Dhruve Pandove Stadium in 1932-33. [2] The Ceylonese side competed in the M. J. Gopalan Trophy games from the 1950s, through the change of name to Sri Lanka, well into the 1970s.

Tournament History
World Cup
ICC Champions Trophy
ICC World Twenty20
Asia Cup
Australasia Cup
Asian Test Championship
Asia Games
Commonwealth Games
ICC Trophy
1975: First Round
1979: First Round
1983: First Round
1987: First Round
1992: Eighth Place
1996: Champions
1999: First Round
2003: Semi Finals
2007: Runners Up
1998: Semi Finals
2000: Quarter Finals
2002: Joint winners with India
2004: Preliminary Round
2006: Main Round
2007: Super-8 stage (5th place)
2009:
1984: Runners up
1986: Champions
1988: Runners up
1990/91: Runners up
1995: Runners up
1997: Champions
2000: Runners up
2004: Champions
2008: Champions
1986: Semi Finals
1990: Semi Finals
1994: First Round
1998/99: Runners up
2001/02: Champions
2010:
1998: Fourth place
1979: Champions
1982 onwards: Not eligible - Test nation

Sri Lanka record in Test Matches
Table correct 21 February 2009
Won
Tied
Lost
Drawn
Total
v Australia
home
away
total
v Bangladesh
home
away
total
v England
home
away
total
v India
home
away
total
v New Zealand
home
away
total
v Pakistan
home
away
total
v South Africa
home
away
total
v West Indies
home
away
total
v Zimbabwe
home
away
total
Home
Away
Overall
% Breakdown