Muttiah Muralitharan PROFILE

Magic
T Murali’s
he 2011 World Cup is the biggest
stage for cricket. It will be played
in the most densely populated
land mass on the planet. India,
Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will
have the opportunity to farewell
some of the modern greats. A
worldwide audience in excess of a
billion will tune in to salute these men.

farewell
Murali, Tendulkar, Kallis and Ponting. We may
never see their like again. Tendulkar with 46 ODI
hundreds and over 17,000 runs at a strike rate of
86.4 has already ascended into Vedic folklore and
is worshipped like no other deity. The expectation of
an adoring public is that Tendulkar will deliver India
a second World Cup. Kallis and Ponting will also be
central to the hopes of South Africa and Australia.

to arms
Sri Lanka will be willing Murali to summon the
last drops of his ageing genius. Murali retired from
Test cricket last year so he could devote all his
energies to the World Cup. He trains every day
like a man possessed. His energy is unflagging.
His enthusiasm undiminished.
Murali represented the Tamil people but was
never a Tamil Tiger. His way was not of the gun. It
was more of the lover. By remaining compassionate
and seeking to charm rather than confront.
In time Murali, along with Sanath Jayasuriya,
that uncomplaining man of Buddhist serenity,
may well be recognised for the soothing balm on Already retired from Test cricket,
a country tormented by the callousness of the
privileged and corrupted by self-serving politicians.
the 2011 World Cup will be Muttiah
Brian Lara played some of his greatest innings Muralitharan’s last major international
against Murali and in 2001 scored 688 runs in six
innings on tracks that were turning more than a
tournament. Vinay Verma reflects on
Catherine wheel. In spite of Lara, Murali spun Sri a special career
Lanka to a 3-0 series win. > photography MARK NOLAN / GETTY IMAGES
To Sri Lankans, Murali was a hero and often
their entire cricket team. Modest and not given
to hyperbole, unless it was the exaggerated
deception of his doosra. Warne’s efforts against
India in India mirror Murali’s. There is no shame
in coming off second best to Dravid, Sehwag,
Tendulkar and Laxman.
Murali kept Sri Lankan cricket afloat for nigh on
15 years. He made batsmen fight for every run.
He gave the art of off-spinning a credibility not
seen since Laker and Prasanna. Murali dared to
be different. Warne was theatre and Murali was

40 InsideCricket FEBRUARY / MARCH 2011 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2011 InsideCricket 41

 industry. Rudi Koertzen, recently retired, says
“you had to have hair on your chest” to survive
Warne. He remarked that Warne expected
to take a wicket every delivery, adding: “not
without reason.”
Murali, on occasion, was also known to grab
his hat from the umpire. But it was not from
petulance. It was disappointment that he had
failed to get an advantage for Sri Lanka. But
before the start of his next over he was smiling
and had his arm around the umpire’s shoulder.
Murali could not be without a smile for long. It
was his signature.
Warne had chemistry and Murali mastered
physics. He had drift and he had outrageous
turn. Above all he had an encyclopedic
memory. He knew his opponents and never
underestimated them. He had respect for cricket
and cricketers. His smile was infectious and his
uncomplaining nature saw him bowl more overs
than anyone in the history of the game.
Murali mastered physics. He had drift
and outrageous turn. His smile was
infectious and his uncomplaining nature saw
him bowl more overs than anyone in history”
Murali is both mentor and willing servant.
He has a captain in Kumar Sangakkara who
welcomes him with unconcealed enthusiasm
and unstinting praise. He said recently: “It’s a
joy to see him play. For us to have him in our
side is a huge boost of confidence.”
Murali straddles the bowling world like a
colossus. With 800 Test wickets and 517
ODI wickets his is a record that may never be
equalled. He contained, he cajoled, he coaxed
and he competed. He was always smiling.
Sometimes in joy. Sometimes in resignation.
Was cricket ever served by a man more humble?
Murali’s visit to Australia in January 2005,
after the tsunami ravaged his country, was
testament to the man’s nobility and compassion
for his countrymen. He was the driving force
behind the match getting official ICC status.
Ponting was there and scored a winning
hundred. Steve Waugh was the manager of
the World XI. The world’s elite cricketers were
gracious and unanimous with their time. Murali
took the bucket around the MCG collecting
donations which would rebuild parts of Sri
Lanka, including his beloved ground at Galle.
$17m was raised for the Tsunami Relief Fund.
Murali would be the first to admit that Sri
Lanka’s rise as a cricketing power owes a lot to
many cricketers. Murali was a sprightly 24-year-
old in 1996 when Sri Lanka won the sixth World
Cup in Lahore. His 10 overs for a miserly 31 put
the brakes on Australia’s runaway start and was
instrumental in restricting Mark Taylor’s side to a
42 InsideCricket FEBRUARY / MARCH 2011
Reflections and predictions
Adam Burnett talks to Sri Lanka star Mahela Jayawardene about what could have
been in 2007, and what we should expect from his side this time around
How do you look back on the last Tell us about Murali’s impact on the side? over the captaincy], everything has been
World Cup? It’s amazing. The guy is always very involved brilliant, and it’s going to be a big World Cup
No-one expected us to get to the final in in the team and he’s someone we really need for him. He was a big part of the last one as
2007 but we had a solid team and everyone at the moment. But at the same time, we my vice-captain and now it’s turned around
played a part. That’s what World Cups are know the day will come when we have to play – I’m his vice-captain for this one. We’re very
all about – you have to start well and try to without him. We’re lucky that he’s still very good mates so there’s no issues with us.
keep that momentum going. We enjoyed keen to play in the World Cup, and it’s great
that but then unfortunately Australia were to have such a great player around in terms Who should we look out for among
better; well maybe Gilly was better. To lose a of both our performance and as someone for Sri Lanka’s up and comers?
final like that, it still hurts, you’ll always be the younger guys to look up to. Angelo Mathews is the standout of our young
disappointed, but after a while you can also players coming through. He’s somebody we
think about all the good things we did in that What about Kumar Sangakkara? Were never had in our side in the past – a genuine
tournament. And we’ve played some really there any issues when he became captain? allrounder who can change the game with
good one-day cricket since, there are a lot The last four years he’s just got himself into the bat or the ball. So he’s a very important
of new young faces around the team, so it’s a nice groove in all forms of the game and player for us; we need him in the team so
exciting times for us and we can’t wait for he’s just kept improving. He’s a guy who that middle order can have the right balance.
this tournament, especially playing at home. works really, really hard on his game and
at the moment there’s no stopping him. At
There are a few other guys as well – Jeevan
Mendis, the leg-spinning batsman, he’s been
Do you think you can win this time? the age that we are [33], we’re still looking around for a long time but in the last year he’s
below par 241. Aravinda de Silva was the man of
the match with his unbeaten 107 and Sri Lanka
We definitely feel we can win it. The younger
guys are maturing nicely, they’re bringing new
to improve our batting. Kumar is doing that
and we had no hesitation in giving him the
shown everyone that he’s capable of handling
international cricket. Then there’s [Chamara]
have been on the rise since. things to the table for us to think about, and captaincy as well – he’s a deep thinker on Kapugedera who we’ve seen a bit of here and
Murali’s legacy is that Sri Lankan cricket we’ve got experience as well which you need the game and he works really well with the there, but he probably hasn’t quite come out
can now dare to dream. In Sangakkara they in a World Cup. So if we have a good mixture, younger guys. Nothing has changed in terms they way we wanted him to, but hopefully the
have an erudite and worldly-wise captain and I think we are looking strong. of how the guys are feeling [since he took World Cup will be the one for him.
who leads from the front. His deputy Mahela
Jayawardene was happy to relinquish the
captaincy for the greater good.
Murali retired from Test cricket because he “did
not want to take a spot from a young spinner.” In
Ajantha Mendis they have a young man who is still
defining the boundaries of his craft. He invented
the flicked carrom ball and is one to watch.
Murali would have inspired Angelo Mathews,
who is the allrounder that Sri Lanka crave.
Mathews will be a key man in Sri Lanka’s quest
for their second World Cup. If things go to plan,
a home semi-final in Colombo would be a reality.
 Murali is quietly confident and knows that
in Tillakaratne Dilshan, Jayawardene and
Sangakkara, they have the batting firepower. He
will be saving his body so he can be at his best
when the business end of the World Cup arrives.
 Sri Lanka are in what appears the stronger
group along with Australia, Pakistan and
New Zealand. They would have taken a lot of
confidence from beating Australia in Australia a
few months back. They should progress to the
quarter-final knockout stage. This is where the
big match experience of Murali will count.
A billion people will be cheering India to lift
the trophy. This will be Tendulkar’s last World
Cup and the team is desperate to see him off a
winner. If India should falter, the billion will be
Murali (centre)
cheering for Sri Lanka as their second favourite. is congratulated by
It would be a fitting farewell to Sri Lanka’s Spin Sangakkara and
King and no one would be more deserving. Jayawardene
FEBRUARY / MARCH 2011 InsideCricket 43