Murali Will Play for Sri Lanka in the World Cup

Today Muttaiah Muralitharan walked into the middle in a test cricket match, which might well be his last balling spell if team India manages to put a good show with the bat during the last two days of the fist test in Galle. A possible batting collapse by Indians, will give a chance for the champion off-spinner to take another spell against his favorite opposition in the second innings, and put him in a good position to be the fist ever cricketer to take 800 test wickets.

At the end of today’s play, Murali had a total tally of 793 test wicket, needing only 7 more wickets out of the 17 Indian wickets available to be taken in this match. However, the rain washed-out second day of the match cost Murali, what might be a chance of a lifetime.

Murali announced his retirement from test cricket, prior to the ongoing series against India. Everyone was curious about what would be Murali’s decision about one day international cricket and twenty twenty cricket, especially considering the fact that we are only few months away from the cricket world cup 2011.

Murali has expressed his view about the upcoming cricket world cup, and he said that if the team requires him he is ready to play for the world cup happening in the sub-continent. Murali played a key role in 1996 cricket world cup held in the same region, which Sri Lanka won quite comprehensively. 

Earlier today, when Murali walked into batting, the Indian fielders paid tribune to this master off-spinner who not only made Sri Lankan cricket proud, but became a role model for other spinners in the region such as Harbhajan Singh (India) and Saqulain Mustaq (Pakistan).

As Wisden magazine recognized once, Murali is arguably one of the best two test cricketers every present, along with the Australian Don Bradman. We will never get the chance of to see such a great player once more in our lifetime.